An angel investor is a high net worth individual who provides financing to early-stage startups in exchange for equity ownership. Angel investing provides startups with seed funding to get off the ground before seeking larger rounds of venture capital. Angels are often entrepreneurs themselves and invest not just money but expertise to the startups they fund. They typically invest $25K to $100K in a company, filling a critical gap between founder funding and venture capital. Prominent startups like Facebook, Google, and Amazon got initial funding from angel investors. Angels take on high risk investing in untested ideas and teams, but can realize huge returns if a startup succeeds. Their investment horizons are 5-7 years before seeking liquidity. Many angel investors form angel investor networks or angel groups to pool capital and share deal flow before passing the most promising startups onto venture capital firms.
At our latest 0100 Conference Mediterranean, we gathered experts from Lombardy’s investment ecosystem, including Andrea Beretta of Cariplo Factory, Gessyca Golia from the Lombardy Region, and moderator Fiorenza Lipparini of Milano & Partners, to discuss the unique appeal of Milan for venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investments.
The 0100 Conference Mediterranean Fireside Chat: VC Secondaries – the Market Opportunity and Ways to Select the Right Fund highlighted its unique potential for investors seeking more liquidity and quicker returns. This session featured Nick Hendra from AAF Management, Matt Russell from Vencap, and Luca Mannucci from Sella Venture Partners, who shared insights on the market dynamics of VC secondaries, effective fund selection, and key strategies for mitigating risk while maximizing returns.
LP panels are essential at every conference, especially as fundraising becomes increasingly competitive and challenging. One of the highlights at the 0100 Conference Mediterranean was the panel titled “Attracting LP Investors Outside the Region: Interest in the Regional PE/VC Market from Global Institutional Investors.” In this session, key investors shared insights into the growing global interest in private equity and venture capital markets within the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. Moderated by Francesco Cerruti, Director General of the Italian Tech Alliance, the panel brought together leading figures in the industry, including Emre Karabekirogullari, Director of Investments at Sarona AM; Patrick Aisher, Chairman of Kinled Holding; Benno Tieke, Director of Portfolio Management at Philips Ventures; and Veera Somersalmi, Director of Investor Relations at Bpifrance.
