360 Capital, a venture capital firm with €700 million in assets under management, has announced that it has completed an €85 million fundraising round for Poli360 2, a venture capital fund dedicated to technology transfer with a focus on Italy, which invests in early-stage deep-tech start-ups. This is the first fundraising round, bringing the firm closer to its overall fundraising target of €100 million.
Poli360 2, the successor fund to Poli360 1, which became operational between 2018 and 2020 and was originally launched in 2023, invests in high-tech early-stage start-ups in partnership with leading Italian universities and centres of research excellence across the country. Following the same proven and successful strategy as Poli360 1, which now has 20 start-ups in its portfolio including Energy Dome, Isaac, Phononic Vibes, PhotonPath, Inxpect and Equixly, the new Poli360 2 fund aims to make 20–25 investments in deep-tech start-ups, with at least 80% of its investments focused on Italy and up to 20% allocated to European start-ups.
In terms of investment strategy, Poli360 2 focuses on two main macro-areas: industrial automation and sustainability. The first encompasses sectors such as robotics, Industry 4.0, semiconductors, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, civil and industrial infrastructure, industrial machinery and information technology. As for sustainability-related themes, the fund will instead focus on new materials, the energy transition and the circular economy.
Poli360 2 is classified as an Article 8 fund under the SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation). Investors include the European Investment Fund (EIF), CDP Venture Capital, pension funds, Italian and international family offices, and numerous corporate investors, including Brembo, MBDA and Lucchini RS. Their participation confirms the growing interest of the industrial sector in innovation and technology transfer. Investing in a venture capital fund such as Poli360 2, in fact, allows corporations to access the most advanced technologies and the most promising start-ups, securing a competitive advantage in the long term. This is made possible by choosing a highly specialised partner such as 360 Capital, which boasts over 25 years’ experience in venture capital and a significant corporate presence within its investor base, accounting for approximately 30%.
“With Poli360 2, we aim to help bridge the gap between scientific research and industry. We work side by side with universities, research centres and visionary founders to support start-ups developing cutting-edge technologies on their growth journey, until they become companies capable of redefining the technological landscape of the next decade,” says Alessandro Zaccaria, partner at 360 Capital, pictured here with the fund’s management team, which also includes Cesare Maifredi and Giulia Galbiati.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©