The top 25 Italy venture investors
Over 1,000 Italy investors backed equity deals this year so far, creating a competitive landscape where strategic positioning is crucial. To differentiate themselves, top firms like CDP Venture Capital are aggressively pursuing deals in high-growth areas such as AI, digital … The post The top 25 Italy venture investors appeared first on CB Insights Research .
In a rapidly evolving venture capital landscape, Italy's burgeoning ecosystem has seen over 1,000 investors back equity deals this year alone, creating a highly competitive environment. To stand out, top firms are strategically positioning themselves in high-growth sectors such as AI, digital health, and space technology, with the aim of securing outsized returns. Using CB Insights' Mosaic score and deal data, we analyzed the performance of these investors to identify the top 25 venture capital firms in Italy, highlighting their strengths and strategies for portfolio success.
CDP Venture Capital emerges as the leader in our ranking, with 139 startup deals since 2023 (as of September 30, 2025). The firm has made a significant impact in the AI sector, backing companies like Multiverse Computing, an AI model compressor, and Axelera AI, a processor unit developer. CDP's aggressive pursuit of AI deals underscores its commitment to innovation and growth, positioning it well in a competitive market.
Neva SGR, another prominent player, leads in terms of the quality of its recent investments. Since 2023, its investments have achieved a higher average Mosaic score of 751 out of 1,000 compared to any other investor on the list. Notable top performers in Neva SGR's portfolio include Classiq, a quantum computing software developer backed by Samsung NEXT and Qualcomm Ventures, and Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a fusion energy company that secured a strategic partnership with Google earlier this year.
CDP Venture Capital also boasts an impressive exit track record, having backed 13 startups since 2018 that went on to exit. The fund's biggest exit came from Nozomi Networks, an IoT security platform acquired by Mitsubishi Electric for $1 billion. This success highlights CDP's ability to identify and support companies with high growth potential, ultimately leading to substantial returns for investors.
Our analysis of Italy's venture capital landscape involved reviewing the dealmaking activity of hundreds of investors who fund private-market startups in exchange for equity. We ranked them based on the strength and performance of their portfolios, using CB Insights' Mosaic score and deal data. This methodology allowed us to identify the top 25 venture capital firms in Italy, each with unique strategies and strengths that contribute to their success in the competitive market.
Venture firms are encouraged to reach out to analyst@cbinsights.com to ensure their full portfolio is represented in our coverage. By tracking these investors' deals in real time, we aim to provide valuable insights into the Italian venture capital ecosystem and help investors make informed decisions. As the landscape continues to evolve, the ability to strategically position oneself in high-growth areas remains crucial for success.
