Intesa Sanpaolo and Vertis, an asset management company based in southern Italy specialising in private equity and venture capital funds, have announced that they have entered into a partnership to support the growth and consolidation of innovative businesses in southern Italy by strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem.
Intesa Sanpaolo’s Banca dei Territori division and the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre, the Group’s dedicated innovation arm, are committed to providing Vertis and the selected start-ups with specialist consultancy, access to a network of national and international partners – comprising universities, research centres, accelerators and client companies – and the organisation of events and meetings aimed at promoting the innovation ecosystem in Southern Italy.
Banca dei Territori, which in 2025 provided €70 million to innovative start-ups and SMEs in Southern Italy, is stepping up its support for start-ups in the region through an integrated offering that includes: financing solutions for business management and growth; non-financial solutions, in collaboration with the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre, such as development and acceleration programmes through, amongst others, the Up2stars programme, the Terra Next ecosystem initiative on the bioeconomy, the activities of the ESG Labs in Naples and Bari-Taranto and the innovation hubs in Naples and Bari, and the services of key partners operating in the region.
In addition to fostering growth opportunities and investment for start-ups, the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre will, as part of this partnership, promote and organise open innovation events and initiatives, facilitating networking between businesses, investors and other stakeholders, and helping to strengthen the innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem in the South.
Neva, the venture capital arm of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, has decided to invest in the Vertis Venture 6 Digital Sud (VV6) fund – a strategic vehicle established by Vertis to support the growth of innovative start-ups and SMEs in Southern Italy – through its Innovation Ecosystem Development Fund (SEI Fund), which is fully subscribed by its parent company, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center.
VV6 supports the growth of the best innovative companies at any stage of development, from the seed phase to the scale-up phase, which introduce product and process innovations through digital technologies and have their registered office or operational headquarters in at least one of the eight regions of Southern Italy, namely: Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia. The fund invests between €500,000 and €5 million per transaction in sectors that are strategic for the digital transition: artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, cybersecurity, microelectronics, digital healthcare, agritech, fintech, proptech and spacetech. The aim is to create technology leaders in Southern Italy and generate value for the region, by attracting capital and expertise, fostering participation in strategic networks and boosting skilled employment. Just over a year after commencing operations, VV6 has already raised over €49.5 million and made seven investments, with a further six expected by the end of the year.
“Intesa Sanpaolo is committed to fostering the growth of the innovative ecosystem in southern Italy, which is rich in young talent and excellent training and research centres,” said Viviana Bacigalupo, General Manager of the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre, in a statement – The agreement signed with Vertis, together with Intesa Sanpaolo’s Banca dei Territori division – which, thanks to its extensive presence, ensures close ties with businesses in Southern Italy – will foster the development of the most promising local start-ups selected by the Vertis Venture 6 Digital Sud fund, with the aim of supporting their growth by maximising positive impacts in the regions where they are based, and providing a range of consultancy services and international connections.”
“Thanks to our collaboration with the Banca dei Territori division and the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre, and to Neva’s investment,” says Amedeo Giurazza, founder and CEO of Vertis, “we are further strengthening our position as a leading venture capital firm in Southern Italy, in line with our mission to transform local innovative potential into scalable businesses that are competitive at both national and international levels. Through a careful scouting process, we monitor hundreds of initiatives, fuelling a dynamic, high-quality and consistent deal flow.” (photo by Tatiana Rodriguez on Unsplash)
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