An equity crowdfunding platform called Equinvest has just launched to support Italian innovative startups (as defined by law).
Rome, Italy-based Equinvest combines the features of equity crowdfunding with the traditional vc method: it manages the deal flow via an online platform (available at http://www.equinvest.it) and then operates as a traditional investor, whose capital comes from institutional and retail investors subscribing shares of a purpose-built vehicle.
The investors do not invest in the startup but acquire shares of the fund this meaning that the firm appoints one or more members to the boards of the backed companies, manages shareholders issues allowing entrepreneurs to focus on their business and seeks larger investors for future rounds.
Investors are periodically reported on investment trends.
Led by Fabio Bancalà, President, Carmine Di Blasi, General Director, Elisa Bancalà, CSO, and Dario Lo Giudice, CTO, Equinvest is sector agnostic and focused on selecting startups based on team capabilities, innovation capacity of the project, market dimensions, a validated business model and business scalability.
The company obtained the authorization by CONSOB in January 2015 and will launch the first campaigns on the platform during the next weeks.
FinSMEs
16/02/2015