In this episode, we catch up with Diyala D’Aveni, Head of Vento, an Italian venture capital firm backed by Exor Ventures that focuses on discovering exceptional founders with the ambition to build great companies and supporting them from pre-seed to pre-IPO. To date, they have invested over €480 million in 76 startups globally.
Diyala is also the organizer of Italian Tech Week, Italy’s leading tech conference, which has drawn some of the biggest names in tech, including Brian Chesky, Sam Altman, Doug Leone, Sarah Guo, Mike Volpi, and many others.
In this conversation, Diyala shares her journey in the startup world, offering insights into personal growth, the mission of Vento, and the future of Italy’s startup ecosystem. She also highlights the importance of community, the challenges founders face, and the overlooked trends in the Italian tech scene. Diyala reflects on her experiences from Italian Tech Week, gives a glimpse into what it takes to attract tech legends to Turin, and much more!
Video version of episode 92:
Audio version of episode 92:
Key takeaways:
- The EU must foster sustainable innovation to remain competitive.
- Don’t let your internal biases stop you from fulfilling your full potential.
- It’s all about investing in people first rather than the technology or the idea.
- Having a global ambition from day one is crucial for founders.
- The Italian startup ecosystem needs deep structural changes to be able to catch up with other European countries.
- Too many highly talented people in Italy are leaving the country and looking for opportunities elsewhere.
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