Vento

Imagine being in the arena with Katniss Everdeen, except it’s actually the OGR, and the goal, as Bianca Ambrosini writes, isn’t to be the last aspiring founder standing but to find the perfect co-founders for this journey. Between challenges and business games, welcome to the first week of Vento! Happy Startup Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor 👇 https://lnkd.in/d4g7rC8f

Welcome to Vento, Soource! With a €1.5 million pre-seed round just announced, we’re thrilled to welcome this 2024 Bolzano-based venture, founded by former Olympian and European gold medalist Maicol Verzotto and his team—Nazareno Mario Ciccarello, Silvia Chiarot, Serena Galli, and Luca Taddeo—to our portfolio. The round was led by 360 Capital and supported by CDP Venture Capital SGR Digital Transition Fund - PNRR. We are proud to have joined as investors alongside the members of Club degli Investitori, Vesper, B Heroes, and others. But what does Soource do? Well, the startup operates in the retail market, and has developed an AI-powered platform to optimize the supplier identification and selection process. Through an advanced search engine and automated email workflows, companies can map their entire target market, interact with thousands of suppliers, and quickly identify the one that best fits their needs. Congratulations to the entire team: keep making strides!

The beginning of this week keeps getting better and better: another one of our portfolio companies has something to celebrate! Almanax has raised an additional $1 million to accelerate growth and innovation in Web3 Security, and we proudly joined this round alongside Blockchain Builders Fund, Italian Angels for Growth (IAG), Eden Ventures by IAG, Moonbase, and others. When we first met the founders, Francesco Piccoli and Maxwell Watson we were immediately impressed by their expertise. Over the past three years, approximately $9 billion has been stolen by exploiting vulnerabilities in Web3. From smart contract exploits to phishing schemes and wallet compromises, the threats are vast. Almanax has developed a solution that addresses the critical need for security audits, using cutting-edge AI algorithms specifically trained to identify and fix vulnerabilities in smart contracts at their root, catching errors before hackers do. With this round, Francesco and Maxwell aim to accelerate the development of their ‘AI Security Engineer,’ with plans to soon introduce ALMX-2, the next generation of their AI models based on Large Language Models. Additionally, this funding will support the expansion of their team and the continued development of the Web3 Security Atlas, an open-source initiative launched in collaboration with TRM Labs, AnChain.AI, and Hypernative. Congratulations to the entire team!

New Season, new adVentoures! Week 1 is in the books, and it felt like a month, with all the emotions, epic challenges, and a surprising pasta-making twist. Curious to see how saving Earth (in a business game, thankfully) and turning €5 into magic is just the start? Dive into the full story of the Head of Venture Building Martina Vinci of how this journey to build the next game-changing startups began here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dhc7cqAk

With a €5 capital, how much can you earn €5 in 3 hours? The answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems, which is why we challenged the aspiring founders of Vento Season 4 to take on this task. Some focused on people’s hunger (not for success, but because lunchtime was just around the corner), others tapped into hidden needs, and a few even came up with complex business models that could rival those of a multinational. In the end, what the teams earned were valuable takeaways that will help them navigate the coming months of the program (and, of course, a little stash of cash to spend on a group activity). Curious about how the €5 challenge turned out? Watch the video and follow us to stay updated on all the activities happening during this kickoff week!

Yesterday may have been Blue Monday, but today is Qomodo Tuesday! Alright, it’s not an international holiday, but it’s definitely a date worth marking on our calendar, as well as for the fintech company in our portfolio that’s driven by a mission to empower small and medium-sized merchants. Qomodo has successfully raised €13.5 million in a Series A funding round led by RTP Global and LMDV Capital, with participation from us, Proximity Capital, Primo Capital, and others. Founded by Gianluca Cocco and Gaetano de Maio to tackle the challenges faced by merchants underserved by traditional financial systems, Qomodo is revolutionizing payment processing in Italy. Since its launch in 2023, Qomodo has quintupled its merchant base, onboarded tens of thousands of new customers, many of whom were new to smart tech solutions, and handled millions of euros in transactions. We couldn’t be prouder of them, and we wish to the entire Qomodo team to keep on with the great work they are doing to provide Italian merchants with the tools to scale their businesses and simplify financial processes. Congratulations once again!

We can already check off one of our 2025 resolutions, thanks to Lupa: starting the year with an exceptional addition to our company portfolio! Lupa has just closed a $4M seed funding round, and we’re proud to have joined forces with firstminute capital, 2100 Ventures, and an outstanding group of angel investors. Founded by Nicolò Frisiani, Matei Bjola, and Raul Lozano Martin, Lupa is revolutionizing practice management software (PMS) for veterinary clinics. Their AI-powered Veterinary Operating System streamlines administrative tasks with a user-friendly approach that sets a new standard for the industry. What makes this solution stand out is its bold focus on a sector that’s long overdue for modernization. The veterinary field faces growing pressure from the 36% rise in pet ownership during COVID, yet only 11% of UK vets are satisfied with their outdated and inefficient PMS. The exciting news? With this funding round, Lupa will supercharge product development and expand its commercial reach, unlocking opportunities in the £320 billion global pet market. This is just the beginning of Lupa’s incredible journey, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome them to the Portfolio of game-changing ventures.

Who’s ready for Vento Venture Building Season 4? We sure are! Last Monday, we welcomed a new batch of aspiring founders who, over the coming months, will roll up their sleeves to build groundbreaking ventures designed to bring real value to Italy’s startup and innovation ecosystem. Once again, we’re incredibly grateful for the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, a key player in fostering regional innovation. Their systemic vision is shaping Turin into a global innovation hub. Thanks to the scholarships provided by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, participants can fully dedicate themselves to this venture-building journey, which will culminate on June 19. Since Vento began, we’ve invested in 89 innovative startups across a range of sectors. What they all share is a bold, risk-taking spirit and the drive to transform Italy’s innovation ecosystem into one of Europe’s most vibrant and dynamic. Several startups from previous Seasons of our Venture Building program have already joined our portfolio, and we’re excited to see if this year’s aspiring founders have what it takes to bring their ideas to life and earn their spot among them. Stay tuned: there’s so much more to come, and you won’t want to miss it!

We screened over 800 applicants. We handpicked the most exceptional protagonists. We carefully crafted the roadmap for the next 5 months. And now, the blockbuster journey begins. Welcome to Season 4 of Vento. Grab your popcorn, because this kickoff week is packed with surprises. Make sure to follow the new aspiring founders of Season 4 closely: you don’t want to miss what’s coming next!

Throwback to one of the most inspiring moments of our Season 3 journey: an exclusive talk with Brian Chesky CEO and Co-Founder of Airbnb during #ITW23. AI is transforming the game for entrepreneurs, especially in product design. For the first time, it bridges creativity and technical execution like never before: a truly massive opportunity. In just over a year, the world of AI has shifted dramatically. But during the long Q&A with our founders, Brian shared timeless wisdom that should guide every conversation about innovation and technology: openness, curiosity, and a commitment to learning. This is what Vento is all about: not just building cutting-edge startups but creating meaningful connections with the most brilliant minds of our time. It’s also where Vento and ITW align their missions: fostering a culture of innovation in Italy while bridging global insights and perspectives. Stay tuned for more insights from this extraordinary conversation! #ItalianTechWeek #VentoVentures #airbnb #companybuilding #brianchesky