What stage does Step Venture invest at?

Step Venture invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.

What is Step Venture's typical check size?

Step Venture typically writes checks of $500K – $2M.

Where is Step Venture located?

Step Venture is headquartered in Milano, IT.

Does Step Venture lead rounds?

Yes, Step Venture leads investment rounds.

Step Venture

Venture capital

Milano · Pre-Seed–Seed · 13 people tracked

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Find your way into Step Venture

1,005 people in our graph share verified history with the Step Venture team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Giuseppe Donvitounlockedknows Maria Imbesi · together at Aptus.AI (overlapped)

knows the team · via Aptus.AI

knows the team · via Università Bocconi

knows the team · via Italian Angels for Growth

×6knows the team · via Daphni

knows the team · via Atomico

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Investment thesis

Step Venture aims to be a startup's first institutional investor, willing to lead rounds on its own during the earliest phases when founders are challenging the status quo. Though generalists, the firm has deep expertise in Fintech, B2B Software, and Connected World, and is especially drawn to Healthtech at its convergence with AI. It leverages deep, specific networks to open paths to customers, partners, talent, and follow-on capital. Step Fund invests in digital and software startups at the pre-Series A stage, focusing on Italian companies or international startups with an established Italian branch, and is open to engaging with teams before formal incorporation.

Invests inAI & Machine Learning EdTech Enterprise Software Fintech Healthtech InsurTech IoT LegalTech SaaS Europe Italy Milano

Source: firm website, verified Aug 16, 2026.

Stage

Pre-Seed–Seed

Check

$500K – $2M

Milano, IT

Leads rounds

Leads

Instruments

Equity

Tracked investments

Team · 13 people

from the firm's website & curated

Emanuele Ottina· Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Gennaro Tesone· Investment Committee

One of the managers of Step Fund with extensive experience in startup and innovation investments.

Maria Imbesi· Partner· Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlandsin

One of the managers of Step Fund with extensive experience in startup and innovation investments.

Michele Novelli· Partner· London, England, United Kingdomin

Partner at Step Fund and one of its managers, with over a decade of experience in startup and innovation investing after building and scaling large technology companies.

Roberto Montandon· Investment Committee· Las Vegas, Nevada, United Statesin

One of the managers of Step Fund with extensive experience in startup and innovation investments.

Erica Young· Partner· London, England, United Kingdomin

Willy Braun· Partner· Paris, Île-de-France, Francein

Willy Braun is a founder and Partner at Step Venture, a venture capital fund focused on early-stage startups in Italy. He previously launched and operated several technology businesses, one of which was acquired by Xerox. Following that exit, he became an angel investor and has built a portfolio of more than 50 companies.

Angelo Poppadà· Director

Carlo Durant· Independent Director

Evarist Granata· Director

Michele Garulli· Director

Rosa Cipriotti· Independent Director

Valentina Zadra· Chairman of the Board of Directors and internal ESG Representative

Investments · 3 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

Moneymour

Startup founded by the Robin Health team, acquired by Klarna in 2020.

Robin Healthrobin.health

Milan, IT

Giacomo De Lorenzo(Founder)Michele Giannotta(Founder)Nicholas Parini(Founder)

Smartwage

Italian fintech and Società Benefit offering a next-generation corporate welfare platform that integrates AI and regulated digital payments to let employees freely spend welfare credit.

Frequently asked questions

What stage does Step Venture invest at?: Step Venture invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
What is Step Venture's typical check size?: Step Venture typically writes checks of $500K – $2M.
What sectors does Step Venture focus on?: Step Venture focuses on AI & Machine Learning, EdTech, Enterprise Software, Fintech, Healthtech, InsurTech, IoT, LegalTech, SaaS.
Where is Step Venture located?: Step Venture is headquartered in Milano, IT.
Does Step Venture lead rounds?: Yes, Step Venture leads investment rounds.

Images

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