Early Stage Venture Capital refers to venture capital investment in young startups that are in the first stages of building their business. Early stage VC firms provide seed funding and Series A & B rounds to fund startups from initial prototype through to scaling up initial commercial success. Early stage investing carries high risks, with many startups failing to gain traction, but also the potential for 10x or greater returns. Well-known startups like Airbnb, Spotify, and Instagram raised early stage VC before going on to huge success. Early stage VCs focus more on the strength of the founding team than financials. They take minority equity stakes and provide hands-on support to young founders. The investment horizons are typically 5-7+ years before exiting through an IPO or acquisition. The most successful early stage VCs develop an eye for spotting great founders solving big problems early.
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.
