Following the recent opening of the call, the investor network of Invitalia Ventures is taking a first (but clear) shape.
Along with Italian operators, Keytone Ventures, a Bejiing, China-based venture capital firm backing transformative ideas for the connected global economy, is joining the network to co-invest in Italian tech startups with the Government-led fund.
Founded in 2008 and led by Kauffman fellow Eric Tao, a former associate at KPCB (Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers) China Fund and a global investment manager at Qualcomm’s Qualcomm Ventures, Keytone has showed its interest in the opportunities given by Italian tech startups, which looks something like an evolution of the traditional attraction represented by “Made in Italy” products for the Chinese economy.
Salvo Mizzi, CEO, Invitalia Ventures, told me that they are in advanced talks with other international investors and that additional adhesions are expected in the next few days, both from Italy and abroad (click for detailed information here).
Keytone has joined sixteen Italian seed and vc investors which have massively applied. The list includes LVenture Group SpA; H-Farm SpA; TBD Srl – Nanabianca; Italian Angels for Growth; Siamosoci Srl (Club Italia Investimenti, Club Digitale, Club Acceleratori); Digital Magics SpA; Strowlers Ventures Srl; Panakes Partners; Vertis Sgr; United Ventures; Withfounders; P101 SpA; Innogest Sgr SpA; DPixel Srl; Principia Sgr SpA (which exited Ethical Oncology Science EOS in 2013); and 360 Capital Partners Italia Srl (led by Fausto Boni and an investor in the ecommerce apparel giant Yoox and eataly.net, the e-commerce platform focused on high-quality Italian food and beverage).
While forging the network, the firm is also strengthening the team with the addition of Ciro Spedaliere and Mario Scuderi as investment managers.
FinSMEs
15/09/2015
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