The Venture Codex

Led · Series A · Oct 2025

Founded in 2019 and based in Legnano (MI), Freedome is a digital platform that curates and aggregates outdoor experiences across Italy. Its catalog includes activities such as hot-air balloon flights, paragliding jumps, boat excursions, horseback rides and rafting descents. The company is part of the I3P incubator at Politecnico di Torino and currently has a team of eight people. Freedome supports an ecosystem of about 3,000 people by working with small local operators. Financially, the startup has now raised a total of €740,000 after its recent €600,000 seed round. The company intends to use the new funding to accelerate growth in Italy, boost marketing efforts, consolidate national coverage and increase the number of experiences and professional operators on the platform.

Participated · Equity · Feb 2024

Develop-Players develops a platform of AI-based videogames that personalize learning and cognitive training for children with DSA and ADHD. The platform enables schools to monitor and screen for learning disorders more accessibly and precisely, notably via its game-test “Proffilo.” Founded in 2021 in Cesena by professor Mariagrazia Benassi with Luca Formica, Davide Paolillo, Sara Magri, Sara Giovagnoli, Alessia Baglivo and Luigi Marotta, the company has already collaborated with multiple Italian schools. The team has grown its videogame developers since the start of the year and plans to reinforce its sales team to increase school adoption across Italy. Financially, the company announced a new €600,000 investment from Opes Italia, 20Fund and Privilège Student Ventures, adding to earlier backing from SocialFare Seed. With this funding, Develop-Players aims to scale its national impact and pursue international expansion.

Led · Equity · Oct 2023

The Circle builds aquaponic systems to grow salads, herbs and produce value-added items such as aquaponic-origin pesto, oils and flavoured salts. Founded in 2017 by biotechnologists Valerio Ciotola, Simone Cofini, Lorenzo Garreffa and marketer Thomas Marino, the company emphasizes circular production to conserve water and soil resources. The recent €2.1M round led by Opes Italia and Sparviero Holding, together with a prior €1.5M from Invitalia, brings total funding to €3.6M. The new capital will fund construction of two aquaponic salad and herb facilities for the restaurant industry in Rome and Milan and production operations in Abruzzo. Management says investments will support implementation of intellectual property developed in cultivation systems and cutting/cleaning operations. CEO Valerio Ciotola frames the raise as enabling significant increases in aquaponic output and facility improvements.