Key Takeaways
- Maia Ventures, a Milan-based AgriFoodTech fund, has launched its first €55 million fund to invest in 20 to 25 early-stage startups.
- The fund will deploy initial ticket sizes of €0.5–1.5 million, supporting innovation in food-as-medicine, novel ingredients, automation, and resilient supply chains.
- The investor base includes EIF, CDP Venture Capital Sgr, and major Italian food corporates such as Teseo Capital sicav-sif, Cereal Docks (Grey Silo Ventures), and Andriani.
- Founded by Andrea Galassi and David Bassani, Maia Ventures seeks to bridge Italy’s established food industry with new science-driven and tech-enabled solutions.
- The fund has already made six investments and is targeting a final close in the coming months.
Maia Ventures Announces €55 Million Fund to Accelerate Early-Stage AgriFoodTech Innovation
Maia Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Milan, has launched a €55 million fund to back startups operating at the intersection of food, health, and sustainability. The fund will target 20 to 25 portfolio companies across Europe, focusing on technologies that enhance nutritional value, supply chain resilience, and sustainable production.
The Limited Partner (LP) base combines institutional and private investors, including the European Investment Fund (EIF), CDP Venture Capital Sgr, and several Italian food industry leaders. Among them are Teseo Capital sicav-sif, Cereal Docks (via Grey Silo Ventures), and Andriani, reflecting strong alignment between Italy’s traditional food sector and the growing AgriFoodTech ecosystem.
A Bridge Between Italy’s Food Industry and Global Innovation
Founded in 2024 by Andrea Galassi and David Bassani, Maia Ventures was established to close the gap between Italy’s industrial food expertise and early-stage innovation emerging from accelerators, research institutions, and DeepTech hubs.
“What excites us is the calibre of science and operator talent now converging on topics such as food-as-medicine, innovative ingredients, and resilient supply chains,” said David Bassani, Founding Partner. “As an early-stage partner, we aim to be among the first institutional believers, helping founders connect with industry leaders and lay the foundations for scale.”
Andrea Galassi, also Founding Partner, emphasized the fund’s applied focus: “By combining deep industry know-how with a strong industrial network, Maia is best positioned to identify and invest in solutions to real problems — not technologies in search of a problem.”
Positioning Italy in a Growing European AgriFoodTech Market
The launch of Maia Ventures’ first fund comes during a period of renewed venture activity across the European AgriFoodTech sector in 2025. Recent rounds include Proba (Netherlands, €1 million) for agri-food decarbonization, ODOS (Spain, €680k) for data-driven sustainability, and KOA Biotech (Spain, €2 million) for aquaculture biosensors.
At the growth stage, larger rounds such as Ecorobotix (Switzerland, €90 million Series D), feld.energy (Germany, €10 million) in agri-PV, and Fungu’it (France, €4 million) in fermentation-based ingredients highlight Europe’s diversification of AgriFoodTech innovation.
Earlier this year, Nordic FoodTech VC announced a €40 million first close, underscoring a trend toward specialized, early-stage funds — a landscape in which Maia Ventures aims to play a leading role from Italy.
Maia Ventures’ Investment Approach
The fund employs a hands-on, early-stage model, providing both capital and operational support to startups in AgriFood DeepTech, biotech, and digital food systems. As the exclusive advisor to Praesidium S.A., Maia supports the firm in sourcing, structuring, and monitoring investments while enhancing long-term portfolio value.
Maia Ventures has already made six investments, with further deals expected before its final closing later this year. The team includes former founders, scientists, and industry operators, supported by an advisory group composed of representatives from leading AgriFood universities and corporates.
According to Claudia Pingue, Head of Tech Transfer Fund at CDP Venture Capital, “We invested in Maia Ventures because it connects Italy’s world-class food industry with breakthrough AgriFoodTech innovation. The team’s deep expertise enables them to identify high-impact DeepTech solutions at the intersection of nutrition, food, and health.”
