Micro VCs are a new class of venture capital firms focused on investing small amounts in early-stage startups. Micro VCs typically make initial investments between $50k to $500k in seed or Series A rounds, well below traditional VC firms. Their model is high-volume with more investments at lower dollar amounts compared to normal VCs. Micro VCs embrace lean startup principles and aim to fund promising founders early before valuations and competition heat up. Prominent micro VC firms include Y Combinator, First Round Capital, and Funders Club. They are disrupting the VC industry by reaching founders previously ignored by traditional venture firms focused on later stages. Micro VCs fill a key funding gap and often pass their most promising startups onto bigger VC firms for larger follow-on rounds. The Micro VC model produces more failures but also captures outlier returns from the early high-risk investments that make it big.
At our latest 0100 Conference Mediterranean, we gathered experts from Lombardy’s investment ecosystem, including Andrea Beretta of Cariplo Factory, Gessyca Golia from the Lombardy Region, and moderator Fiorenza Lipparini of Milano & Partners, to discuss the unique appeal of Milan for venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investments.
The 0100 Conference Mediterranean Fireside Chat: VC Secondaries – the Market Opportunity and Ways to Select the Right Fund highlighted its unique potential for investors seeking more liquidity and quicker returns. This session featured Nick Hendra from AAF Management, Matt Russell from Vencap, and Luca Mannucci from Sella Venture Partners, who shared insights on the market dynamics of VC secondaries, effective fund selection, and key strategies for mitigating risk while maximizing returns.
LP panels are essential at every conference, especially as fundraising becomes increasingly competitive and challenging. One of the highlights at the 0100 Conference Mediterranean was the panel titled “Attracting LP Investors Outside the Region: Interest in the Regional PE/VC Market from Global Institutional Investors.” In this session, key investors shared insights into the growing global interest in private equity and venture capital markets within the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. Moderated by Francesco Cerruti, Director General of the Italian Tech Alliance, the panel brought together leading figures in the industry, including Emre Karabekirogullari, Director of Investments at Sarona AM; Patrick Aisher, Chairman of Kinled Holding; Benno Tieke, Director of Portfolio Management at Philips Ventures; and Veera Somersalmi, Director of Investor Relations at Bpifrance.
