Vento is the operating arm of Exor Ventures in Italy and is now celebrating its second year of life, sharing a significant balance sheet that can be summarized in 60 investments, support for 20 new startups and actions to promote innovation in various sectors and encourage the growth of innovative startups.
Vento’s strategy consists of two main activities: investments and venture building. Vento offers €150,000 investment tickets to early-stage startups in any sector, as long as they have at least one Italian founder. The company stands out for its quick decision-making, with an average of only five days for reporting results, and its founder-friendly approach. To date, Vento has reviewed more than 2,400 applications, investing in 60 companies that are chosen downstream of the rigorous selection process.
The venture building program further exemplifies Vento’s approach, selecting talented people in the pre-idea and pre-team stage and supporting them financially in the development of their startups. Currently, in its third edition, the program has received more than 1,500 applications, selected 110 talents and launched 20 startups, with investments in 10 of these. These results have been achieved thanks to the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and OGR Torino. Vento is now working on his next investment committee, which will decide on potential pre-seed investments of €80,000 in the latest cohort of 40 talent.
Diyala D’Aveni leading Vento’s operations
Investment portfolio spanning multiple sectors
Commenting on the first years of activity, Diyala D’Aveni, who leads Vento’s activities, said: “We are the most active non-governmental fund in Italy and have a very diversified portfolio of companies. In particular, health tech and biotech together account for a significant 20% of our investments, demonstrating our dedication to startups that sit at the intersection of technology, healthcare, and life sciences. The rest of our portfolio spans vital sectors such as software/SaaS/marketplaces (35%), fintech and deeptech (10% each), as well as emerging sectors such as spacetech and proptech (5% each), demonstrating our commitment to cultivating a wide range of technologies that pave the way for a future of technological advancements and lasting impact. Vento is not only a catalyst for technological and entrepreneurial innovation, but also a champion of diversity within the startup community. 30% of the founders in our portfolio are women. This significantly exceeds industry averages and demonstrates Vento’s commitment to inclusive growth.”
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