Key Takeaways
- • Rulen (formerly LexSA) raised 1.8 million euros from lead investor VC Partners, together with Growth Engine, AME Ventures, Zest – Magic Mind, Alpha Venture and other business angels, to fund proprietary technology, sales and marketing.
- • Ganiga Innovation, an Italian deeptech food-waste startup, raised 1.5 million euros in equity led by Vivenda (part of Consorzio La Cascina), with NextSTEP and three business angels, and received a further 1 million euros from Smart&Start Italia, a credit provider of Invitalia.
- • Z_One Fund, a venture capital vehicle launched by Zest and manager Eureka! Venture, completed a first closing of 35 million euros against a 55–60 million euro target and has started investing, with CDP Venture Capital as anchor investor and Zest contributing 5 million euros.
- • The roundup also promotes BeBeez's upcoming Caffè di BeBeez event in Milan on 9 November, focused on proprietary data and AI in private capital.
Summary
BeBeez International's weekly roundup of Italian angel, incubator and venture capital activity highlights three financings. Rulen, formerly LexSA, attracted 1.8 million euros from lead investor VC Partners, alongside Growth Engine, AME Ventures, Zest – Magic Mind, Alpha Venture and other business angels. The company will deploy the proceeds into its proprietary technology, sales and marketing. Co-founders Rui Hui Simone Hong (CEO) and Claudio Cama (CTO) launched Rulen, which joined the A-Road scaleup program in 2021. Stefano Siglienti heads VC Partners.
Ganiga Innovation, an Italian deeptech startup working to reduce food waste founded by Nicolas Lorenzo Zeoli, raised 1.5 million euros in equity. The round was led by Vivenda, part of Consorzio La Cascina, with participation from NextSTEP and three business angels. Separately, the company received 1 million euros from Smart&Start Italia, a credit provider of Invitalia. Ganiga will use the capital to develop Hoooly!, a smart trash bin. Emilio Roussier Fusco is chairman of Vivenda.
Z_One Fund, a venture capital vehicle launched by Zest and its manager Eureka! Venture, completed its first closing at 35 million euros, ahead of a target of 55–60 million euros, and has begun its investment cycle. CDP Venture Capital is the anchor investor, alongside Zest (5 million euros), Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and other private investors. Luigi Capello has been appointed CEO of the fund. Marco Gay is CEO of Zest, and Stefano Molino heads CDP Venture Capital's Accelerator Funds. Andrea Ciampalini, COO of Lazio Innova, is associated with the Z_One Fund Lazio investment.
The newsletter also promotes a BeBeez event on 9 November in Milan, which will address the role of proprietary data and AI in private equity and M&A.
Ganiga Innovation, an Italian deeptech startup working to reduce food waste founded by Nicolas Lorenzo Zeoli, raised 1.5 million euros in equity. The round was led by Vivenda, part of Consorzio La Cascina, with participation from NextSTEP and three business angels. Separately, the company received 1 million euros from Smart&Start Italia, a credit provider of Invitalia. Ganiga will use the capital to develop Hoooly!, a smart trash bin. Emilio Roussier Fusco is chairman of Vivenda.
Z_One Fund, a venture capital vehicle launched by Zest and its manager Eureka! Venture, completed its first closing at 35 million euros, ahead of a target of 55–60 million euros, and has begun its investment cycle. CDP Venture Capital is the anchor investor, alongside Zest (5 million euros), Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and other private investors. Luigi Capello has been appointed CEO of the fund. Marco Gay is CEO of Zest, and Stefano Molino heads CDP Venture Capital's Accelerator Funds. Andrea Ciampalini, COO of Lazio Innova, is associated with the Z_One Fund Lazio investment.
The newsletter also promotes a BeBeez event on 9 November in Milan, which will address the role of proprietary data and AI in private equity and M&A.
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