Seed funding refers to the first official equity financing round raised by a startup to fund initial product development and attract first customers. Investors in seed rounds include angel investors, accelerators, venture capital firms, and increasingly crowdfunding platforms. Seed funding ranges from $500,000 to $2 million and allows startups to expand their team to build and market an MVP. Companies that gain traction on key metrics can go on to raise larger Series A rounds from venture capitalists. Seed stage investing is very high risk, with most startups failing to advance. But the few seed-stage success stories delivering massive returns, like Uber's $200k seed round valued at $72 billion at IPO, keep investors playing the game. Smart venture firms scout out promising startups during seed rounds before competition heats up in later stages.
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.
