SIMEST
Government fundRome · Seed
Investment thesis
SIMEST supports the internationalization of Italian companies, offering financial solutions and advisory services to accompany firms as they expand into foreign markets. Its focus areas include innovation, sustainability, and digitalization. As part of the CDP Group, it provides financing for international expansion, business matching that connects Italian firms with foreign clients and partners, and training and consulting services to help enterprises build competencies for current and future challenges. Sustainability — social, economic, and environmental — is positioned as central to its mission.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
What they invest in
from 2 of 2 portfolio companiesSaaS ×2AI & Machine Learning ×1Deep Tech ×1Fintech ×1IoT ×1Space Tech ×1
HQs:Italy×2
Investments · 2 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathAxyon AI provides artificial intelligence tools for investment managers to develop alpha-generating strategies and improve portfolio construction and risk management.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaSModena, IT
Co-investorsCDP Venture CapitalING VenturesMontage Ventures
Leaf Space operates a ground station network providing Ground Segment-as-a-Service infrastructure for satellite operators, enabling flexible access to satellite communications without owning ground infrastructure.
Deep TechIoTSaaSSpace TechMilan, IT
Jonata Puglia(Founder)inGian Luca Ottinoin
Co-investorsCDP Venture CapitalNeva Sgr.
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesLeaf Space · trysignalbase.com · Mar 24, 2026
Axyon · fintech.global · Apr 3, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does SIMEST invest at?
- SIMEST invests at the Seed stage.
- What sectors does SIMEST focus on?
- SIMEST focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is SIMEST located?
- SIMEST is headquartered in Rome, IT.
- Does SIMEST lead rounds?
- SIMEST typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
from their channelVittorio de Pedys intervistato al NYSE da Class CNBC
SIMEST
Le filiere italiane e le grandi infrastrutture internazionali
SIMEST
Carolina Lonetti a Giornale Radio - Next Economy
SIMEST
Il Presidente di SIMEST al Festival dell'Economia di Trento 2026
SIMEST
Regina Corradini D'Arienzo interviene a Sky Tg24 sulla
SIMEST
Carolina Lonetti a Motore Italia – Edizione Roma Capitale
SIMEST
Images
Similar investors
4DI Ventures was co-founded by repeat tech operator and ESET Southern Africa founder Justin Stanford, giving it unusually deep cybersecurity and software operating experience rather than a purely financial background, and originated from Stanford's own angel-investing experiments that directly led to both the firm's creation and the launch of the Silicon Cape Initiative. The firm explicitly describes its style as "nurture capital" with intensive, hands-on engagement, and Stanford is vocal about avoiding the "unicorn at all costs" mentality in African tech, instead emphasizing sustainable market readiness and fundamentals in a more conservative, durability-focused investment approach.
83North is a global venture capital firm that invests in and helps entrepreneurs build large, category-defining companies, backing startups across multiple stages and sectors.
8VC is a venture capital firm investing across logistics, life sciences, healthcare, IT infrastructure, and government/defense, guided by its Smart Enterprise thesis focused on data integration and platform network effects.
Accel is a venture capital firm that partners with exceptional teams, positioning itself as a first partner to founders globally.
Accomplice is a venture capital firm that has backed early-stage companies across sectors, having been part of the origin stories of companies like AngelList, DraftKings, Patreon and WHOOP.