• Akuis

  Participated · Equity · Mar 2024

  Akuis builds connected robotic fitness and rehabilitation devices, with its flagship product Sintesi positioned for personal training studios, beauty centers and physiotherapy clinics. The company operates a B2B sales model, both direct and through distributors, and has sold over 600 Sintesi units worldwide. Akuis reports a team of 14 specialists and a compound annual growth rate of 65% since 2020. Financially the startup closed 2023 with €1.7M in revenue, a 25% increase over 2022, with half of revenues from foreign markets. Planned uses of new funding include market expansion (Spain, the Netherlands, Eastern Europe and Asia), obtaining US and medical certifications, industrializing new products and broadening the product offering. The company will also allocate 20% of the raised funds to continuous improvement of its hardware and software products. Akuis, founded in 2018 in Tolmezzo (Udine), develops Sintesi, a compact home-fitness device that leverages technologies from the aerospace sector and is protected by international patents. Sintesi pairs physical equipment with a digital platform that guides users step-by-step through exercises, records performance and improvements, and offers a virtual personal trainer to work on performance and motivation. The product is positioned for home fitness, boutique gyms and physiotherapists and is described as a full training platform rather than a single device. Akuis has a team of 11 people and reported an average growth rate of 357% in its first three years, with an expected growth rate of about 250% through 2024. Sintesi was named among the 20 most innovative products at FIBO2020 and Akuis was listed among the top four most promising startups worldwide. Management plans to use funding to continue product and software development, enable engagement and personalization initiatives, and support sustained market growth.

• To Be

  Participated · Equity · Jan 2024

  To Be develops LiFi Zone, a cloud‑based platform combining LED luminaires with a LiFi modulator and a companion app to deliver data and precise indoor navigation via light. The company has deployed more than 200 active LiFi points across museums, hospitals, schools and offices, including installations in Pompeii, ASL Napoli 2 Nord and the Istituto Comprensivo Rosetta Rossi. LiFi Zone provides centimetre‑level indoor positioning and can act as a wireless connectivity layer with strong applicability for accessibility, cybersecurity‑sensitive environments and energy efficiency. To Be plans to use recent funding primarily to hire international talent, accelerate technical development of LiFi Zone, expand revenue‑generating services and add new features with attention to users with disabilities. Commercial plans include scaling sales across direct and indirect channels, building strategic partnerships with telco players, system integrators and design firms, and beginning entry into selected European markets; a larger international scaleup round is planned within 24 months. Financially, the company has completed a Mamacrowd crowdfunding raising of €900k, previously closed a €75k pre‑seed from Magic Spectrum and has received roughly €266k in non‑repayable public grants.

• 1Control

  Participated · Equity · Jan 2024

  1Control designs and develops technological solutions for smart management and control of access points such as gates, garage doors, bollards and barriers for both private and B2B customers. The company reports a presence across Europe with particular traction in France and Germany and more than 19,000 users. Its products have attracted partners and customers including Silvelox, Silca, Maserati, Telepass and Pilomat Hörmann, with the Hörmann partnership expanding to installations with A2A and ATM in Milan and wider European commercialization. 1Control is integrating its systems with Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto and is evaluating integration with Google Android Automotive. The company says it plans to file new patents, pursue collaborations with security firms, parking operators, highways and eco-islands, and hire senior engineers to accelerate product development and maintenance.

• Deesup

  Participated · Series A · Nov 2021

  Founded in 2017 and based in Milan, Deesup operates an online marketplace for authentic, high-end second-hand and iconic designer furniture. The company curates pieces from private and professional sellers and promotes circular-economy principles to make luxury design more ethical and sustainable. Deesup has grown its community and retail partnerships, now counting over 100 partners among main players in the furniture market. In 2021 it doubled sales versus the prior year and reported an average shopping cart of over €900. The startup plans to use product and technology improvements to optimize the buying and selling experience and to attract new retail partners while expanding internationally. Deesup operates an online marketplace dedicated to authentic second-hand and “zero km” signed designer furniture, sourcing pieces from private sellers, showrooms and distributors. The platform vets and promotes iconic, certified items to a global audience of design connoisseurs. Deesup reports that over 50% of its online shop orders come from abroad, led by Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The company was launched through LUISS EnLabs, LVenture Group’s accelerator, and was founded by Valentina Cerolini and Daniele Ena. Future plans include international expansion and platform development using augmented reality and machine learning to improve user experience and product evaluation. The startup positions itself to capture growth in the signed-design market, which the article cites at $41 billion in 2018 with projected annual growth.

No current team members are available.