Zest
Venture capitalRome · Pre-Seed–Series A · 9 people tracked
Investment thesis
Zest invests in cutting-edge, high-value technology startups capable of revolutionizing their sectors by tackling real challenges and building pioneering products. Guided by industry-specific expertise, the firm identifies global innovation trends and supports bold founders aiming to become future tech leaders. Beyond direct investment, Zest works alongside founders, investors, businesses, and institutions to accelerate innovation, offering tailored advisory services in open innovation and corporate venturing. It aims to transform non-scalable business models into exponential ones and to make public funding accessible to Italian enterprises, positioning itself as a broad innovation ecosystem.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 9 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 4 of 12 portfolio companiesSaaS ×2AI & Machine Learning ×1Enterprise Software ×1Fintech ×1InsurTech ×1IoT ×1LegalTech ×1Mobility & Transportation ×1
HQs:Italy×2
Investments · 12 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathApside is a special purpose vehicle and joint venture between Intesa Sanpaolo and Zest Group that invests in post-seed stage startups showing strong growth potential and validated market products.
FintechInsurTechPropTechRome, IT
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Brings Bitcoin to businesses with Bpay, a Bitcoin payments platform.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Raised €550K from Eni and CDP Venture Capital to develop technology and expand carbon offsetting projects across Europe and Africa.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Designs vertical-axis wind turbines with AI-driven blade pitch control.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Intuos provides an integrated aviation operations platform combining flight management software, real-time flight monitoring hardware, and predictive engine analysis for flight schools, commercial operators, and maintenance organizations.
Enterprise SoftwareIoTMobility & TransportationL Aquila, IT
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Co-investorsTechstarsArgoCDP Venture Capital
iubenda provides a digital compliance platform that helps businesses create and manage privacy policies, cookie banners, terms and conditions, and accessibility documentation to meet global privacy regulations.
LegalTechSaaS
Andrea Giannangelo
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Co-investors2100 Ventures4Di CapitalBrighteye VenturesMetrika SGR S.p.A.P101 VenturesPlay Ventures+6 more
Joint venture of Zest and Tinexta with a €5M endowment to scale up startups using digital technologies including AI in Tinexta Group's target industries.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Develops and delivers actuarial and risk calculation solutions.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Sartiq provides an AI fashion photography platform that turns flat-lay or phone product photos into styled, on-model catalogue images and campaigns, with custom or virtual models, brand-book consistency, and human review at each stage.
AI & Machine LearningRetail TechSaaS
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Co-investorsKickfund
Connects users to a marketplace of creatives, models, and locations.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
A cooperative app builder helping companies and freelancers reduce costs.
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
PartnerAntonella Zullo· solo GP
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
iubenda · cityam.com · Jul 2, 2026
Intuos · eu-startups.com · Jun 29, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Zest made?
- Zest has 12 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Zest invest at?
- Zest invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does Zest focus on?
- Zest focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Deep Tech, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Zest located?
- Zest is headquartered in Rome, IT.
- Who does Zest co-invest with?
- Zest most often shares deals with 4Di Capital, Brighteye Ventures, P101 Ventures, among 11 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamAntonella Zullo CEO Zest Innovation - CEOforLIFE Round Table Zest Innovation
CEOforLIFE AWARDS · Antonella Zullo
Images
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