Up until 2021, IAG has played a key role in the ecosystem of Italian venture capital, thanks to the results achieved by the outgoing Board of Directors led by Antonio Leone, and the new members who took office last June, with Carlo Tassi as the President, and Paola Bonomo and Christian Marchesi as Vice-Presidents.
In 2021, members' investments in the opportunities presented by the association reached almost €10 million in about twenty companies (just under €100 million raised together with our co-investors). IAG is considered a qualified partner for co-investments and flow of opportunities by the main Italian venture funds (ndr origination agreement with the Banca Generali fund 8A+), thanks to the quality of the selection and the commitment of the Champion (angel leader of the club deal) in supporting the entrepreneurial teams.
Some of the leading realities in Italy and Europe that have co-invested with the members of Italian Angels include United Ventures, 360 Capital, P101, Verlinvest, Claris Ventures, 3B Future Health Fund, Liftt, CDP Fondo Innovazione, Gellify/Azimut, Varian and international angels such as Riccardo Zacconi, Diego Piacentini and Stelios Haji-Ioannou (founder of Easyjet Group).
Innovative entrepreneurs find in IAG a support for the growth of their companies thanks to industry experts and an unparalleled network of professionals. This accompanying path subsequently facilitates access to larger funding as the startups grow.
Among the new investments are Resalis Therapeutics, a biotech company that aims to treat metabolic disorders; Neophore, an Italian/English biotech company that develops new therapies against cancer through the stimulation of the immune system; Sonect, a Swiss company that converts every store into a "virtual ATM"; Futurely, a digital orientation path that guides young people in the choice of university and the realization of their future; Measure, a mobile application that allows users to share their data and monetize the content; and 1000Farmacie, an online platform of parapharmaceutical products.
In recent months, the association has consolidated the Diversity & Inclusion program by significantly increasing the number of new members and new deals that have women as their leaders.
IAG also works alongside the main consolidated realities including Novartis, MSD, Mastercard, BIP, KPMG, offering a privileged stage on the international startup ecosystem for strategic collaborations and co-innovation activities. Noteworthy for the success of its membership is the Women & Sustainability Innovation Cup in collaboration with Mastercard that allowed the inclusion between startups with social impact and the giant of digital payments.
In the year that just ended, IAG has consolidated its role as a leader in seed venture capital with multi-sector specializations. For instance in the fintech sector, where IAG united with Banca Generali, Mastercard and F10 Accelerator. IAG is also a member of the Italian Tech Alliance, the main network of Italian venture capital operators and has expanded its international network through participation in Business Angels Europe, Mediterranean Angels and some of the major international events such as MWC/4YFN in Barcelona, Techne Summit in Alexandria, Gitex in Dubai and WebSummit in Lisbon.
Carlo Tassi, President of Italian Angels for Growth: "An intense year that has led to the consolidation of the role of IAG as a leader in seed venture capital thanks to the constant investments, institutional activities, industry meetings and the reputation gained in recent years. The year ahead looks even more exciting for the startup world thanks to the many capitals arriving to the market, the media attention, and the recognized importance of innovation as an absolute necessity for growth. For IAG, moreover, 2022 is an important year as it coincides with the 15th anniversary, a path so far full of successes, challenges, and initiatives but that is especially the foundation on which to build the development path of the coming years. There are many projects in the pipeline for the association that will increasingly involve our members and network partners".