United Ventures

A company’s growth isn’t just about reaching new markets—it’s about proving that what you’ve built can scale, adapt, and make an impact in entirely new environments. Today marks that moment for xFarm Technologies. 🤝 After becoming a leader in agricultural digitalization across Europe, xFarm Technologies is taking a bigger step into Latin America by joining forces with Checkplant, the Brazilian AgTech company behind the Farmbox platform. This is a strategic move that reinforces xFarm Technologies' ability to operate at a global level. 🇧🇷 Brazil’s agricultural sector is vast, complex, and deeply influential in global food production. Checkplant has spent over 20 years developing solutions that help large-scale farms manage millions of hectares of key crops like soybeans, cotton, and sugarcane. Now, by integrating their expertise with xFarm Technologies’ advanced digital tools, the two companies will provide farmers and agribusinesses with a more powerful, end-to-end approach to sustainability, traceability, and supply chain management. xFarm Technologies has already demonstrated its ability to scale: from startup roots to supporting over 500,000 farms across 8.3 million hectares globally, securing €36 million in Series C funding, and building an ecosystem of more than 100 large companies that spans the entire food supply chain. This move into Brazil is the next step in that evolution—proving its technology and approach can thrive in one of the most dynamic agricultural markets in the world. We are incredibly proud of the xFarm Technologies team and to be at their side during this impressive #growth journey. Their vision, ambition, and execution continue to set new standards for digital agriculture worldwide. 🚜🌾🧑🏼🌾🌎 portrayed in the 📸 Matteo Cunial & André Guerreiro Cantarelli cc Matteo Vanotti Nicolò Barbano Riccardo De Nadai Jyotsna Budideti Ivana Manke Felipe Mathies Massimiliano Magrini Giulia Giovannini #AgTech #DigitalFarming #Brazil #Sustainability

DeepSeek AI continues to attract interest, with Bloomberg reporting a theoretical 545% profit margin this week—an estimate (with caveats) based on AI inferencing costs vs. sales in February. This reinforces how much more cost-efficient DeepSeek’s technology has been compared to most AI leaders. Its impact, along with the future of AI investments, is the focus of an insightful interview by giuliano castagneto with our managing partner, Massimiliano Magrini, published in the latest issue of BeBeez Italia Magazine. Here are the key takeaways: 🐋 DeepSeek has shown that more efficient algorithms can be developed with less pre-training, potentially lowering costs and reducing environmental impact. This challenges the high valuations of startups focused solely on building complex learning models. 🐋 The choice between open-source and closed systems like OpenAI is a critical decision for startups, shaping the types of applications they can develop and raising important questions about data security. 🐋 This evolving landscape creates new opportunities for companies building LLM-based applications, opening up a wider range of investment possibilities with smaller funding rounds than the massive fundraising seen among US unicorns. As with any major technological shift, there’s both excitement about new opportunities and caution in assessing real competitive advantages and barriers to entry. DeepSeek has certainly sparked debate, but one key message we emphasize is that technology’s impact is often overestimated in the short term and underestimated in the long run. This is essential for navigating market shifts wisely and identifying real investment opportunities. Check out the full interview for a deeper dive into these topics and insights into how AI is reshaping the investment landscape. #AI #DeepSeek #VentureCapital #Innovation 

Nel contributo pubblicato oggi su Diritto Bancario, il nostro Jacopo Drudi e l’Avv. Federico Aquilanti di Legance analizzano la recente modifica normativa introdotta dalla Legge 16 dicembre 2024, n. 193, volta a incentivare gli investimenti delle Casse di previdenza e dei Fondi pensione nel Venture Capital. Questa normativa mira a colmare il divario tra l'Italia e altri Paesi in termini di finanziamenti alle imprese innovative e tecnologiche, riconoscendo il ruolo cruciale di tali investimenti per la competitività tecnologica nazionale. L’auspicio è che queste misure possano incrementare significativamente i capitali destinati al settore tecnologico attraverso il #VentureCapital, offrendo opportunità di rendimento interessanti e diversificate per gli investitori istituzionali, e permettano di raggiungere la massa critica necessaria per sviluppare un ecosistema di innovazione solido e competitivo a livello internazionale. Le startup tecnologiche sono motori di #innovazione: la creazione di un ecosistema di Venture Capital forte e dinamico rappresenta un investimento strategico per il futuro del Paese. Come evidenziato nel Rapporto sul futuro della competitività europea di Mario Draghi, la scarsa esposizione dei Fondi pensione al Venture Capital costituisce un freno alla competitività tecnologica, in un contesto macroeconomico in cui il dominio tecnologico e la definizione degli standard globali assumono un ruolo sempre più critico. Nell’articolo vengono approfonditi: - Le nuove misure a sostegno del Venture Capital - Il contesto normativo: le agevolazioni fiscali per Casse di previdenza e Fondi pensione - Il nuovo criterio di investimento: prime questioni interpretative e applicative - Riflessioni sugli effetti della nuova normativa per investitori e gestori 👉 Per leggere il contributo: https://lnkd.in/dedsWNEk cc Massimiliano Magrini Paolo Gesess

Traditional optimization methods are often manual, time-consuming, and narrowly focused on cost reduction—sometimes at the expense of performance. Akamas takes a radically different approach. By introducing AI-driven, autonomous optimization, it considers the entire technology stack, from applications to infrastructure, to deliver the best outcomes. 🤖 Think of Akamas as an intelligent assistant for cloud performance. Instead of IT teams spending hours manually adjusting cloud settings, Akamas' AI continuously analyzes workloads and applies the best configurations. This ensures that companies achieve optimal performance and reliability without overspending on resources. Today, we’re leading Akamas’ $10 million investment round. This funding will fuel their expansion into the North American market, accelerate product development, and strengthen their position as a leader in full-stack optimization for cloud and Kubernetes environments ⭐ We’ll also support their transition out of the Moviri group—a long-standing partner in technology excellence for us—and help Akamas establish operations and scale their business. With five granted patents, Akamas is well-positioned to redefine autonomous optimization for modern applications. We look forward to working with Luca Forni, Stefano Doni, and the entire Akamas team as they push the boundaries of what’s possible in cloud and IT optimization. Stay tuned for more updates as Akamas takes this next big step forward 🇺🇸 cc: Fabio Pirovano Damiano Coletti Massimiliano Magrini Paolo Gesess Jacopo Drudi Giulia Giovannini Paolo Bozzola Matteo Fabiano #UVportfolio #optimization #cloud #kubernetes

Back in October, at the Zero One Hundred Conferences conference in Milan, our founder Massimiliano Magrini had a good chat with Laura Iriarte Zabalaga about all things fundraising and venture capital. Here are some highlights from the conversation: 💬 The European venture capital landscape has transformed over the past ten years, experiencing 10x growth. Established firms have raised more capital, and a wave of new players has entered the game. Venture capital itself is much better understood now, which has fundamentally changed the fundraising landscape. Conversations have evolved – investors are savvier. Ten years ago, few truly grasped the underlying mechanics of venture capital; now, there’s a much deeper understanding. 💬 Fundraising typically starts with individuals, family offices, and private investors, then evolves to institutional LPs as the fund matures, builds a track record, and delivers results. Early on, it’s all about the team’s track record; later, it’s about hard numbers. This cycle of storytelling, followed by data-driven results, defines the venture capital journey. 💬 At United Ventures, we like to think of ourselves as having a "prepared mind." We have investment theses, of course, but we avoid rigid frameworks. It’s easy to tell LPs you’re laser-focused on a specific vertical, but what if we’d done that 15 years ago with AI? We would have missed Nvidia. While we have ideas about how technology evolves, we also give founders the space to explore and adapt. We partner with them and follow their lead. 💬 For LPs, understanding the team and their process is extremely important. Managing risk in venture capital comes down to having a team that works together seamlessly and a culture that reinforces the investment strategy. The most sophisticated investors understand this. They look at how you operate, how decisions are made, the due diligence process, the level of support provided to portfolio companies, and whether there’s a clear succession plan in place. Building a lasting legacy means putting all these pieces together. 💬 Family offices have their own unique dynamics; it’s more about the narrative, the connection between the GP and the LP. It’s a more personal relationship. They have the flexibility to invest outside the rigid criteria of institutional investors, but their decisions are very case-by-case, much like a founder pitching to a GP. 💬 Processes and reporting are essential, but ultimately, it’s about impact – what we call "impactful returns." We care deeply about the positive change our investments can create, and that goes hand-in-hand with strong financial performance. It’s not a trade-off; we believe they reinforce each other. Thanks Laura for the great questions. Watch the full interview below 📺 👇 #venturecapital #fundraising

🌳 It’s been three years since we started working with ClimatePartner, and it’s become a key part of United Ventures' climate action journey. Around the same time, Giorgio Bertolini came up with an idea, driven by the love for his homeland and the firm belief that indifference could not stop the desire to unite and make a positive impact on the world around us. He teamed up with the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park—one of Lombardy’s most beautiful areas, and one that has been hit hard in recent years: two major fires, storm Alex in 2020, and an ongoing bark beetle infestation. These extreme events have left large parts of the park in desperate need of cleanup and reforestation. Thanks to Giorgio’s determination, many like-minded companies came on board, showing how public and private sectors can unite to care for the places we all call home. It’s a powerful example of real, local impact—and Giorgio and his team are already thinking how to expand this project across Italy. The ClimatePartner Campo dei Fiori Impact Award 2025 was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the ClimatePartner team and celebrate all the organizations that contributed over the past year to the park’s restoration, the conservation of its natural capital, and the preservation of its landscape values. We’re proud that United Ventures was among those honored, with Giulia and Fabio there to accept this recognition. A huge thank you to ClimatePartner (Giorgio, Ivano, Giulia, Francesca, Lisa), the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park, and ASFO for making this possible. And for those who have yet to discover Campo dei Fiori, consider this your invitation to explore this hidden gem, nestled between the Alpine arc and the Po Valley. "An ancient mountain that, with forests strong as muscles, holds on to its gentleness to offer the seasons, forever chasing one another, the fragrant color of its flowers." ⛰️ #ClimateAction #Impact 🤍☁️🌿🍃✨️

🦾 Our portfolio company Exein has partnered with leading chipmaker MediaTek to bring cybersecurity to billions of IoT devices—marking the world’s first runtime security integration directly at the chipset level. Exein’s technology will now be embedded in MediaTek’s Genio platform, starting with the 24.1 release of MediaTek IoT Yocto. With MediaTek powering over two billion devices annually across industries such as industrial IoT, mobile, smart home, automotive, and healthcare, this partnership ensures that IoT products using MediaTek Genio chipsets will be secure and reliable by design. This integration is a HUGE milestone, reflecting the incredible work of the Exein team and their commitment to advancing security and innovation in the embedded world. This collaboration is paving the way for a safer, more connected future for IoT and embedded devices globally. Congratulations to Gianni Cuozzo and the entire Exein team! We’re inspired by your vision of redefining IoT and embedded security—where security is no longer an afterthought but an integral part of the technology stack. And we’re proud to have been part of your journey from the very beginning 💚 Massimiliano Magrini Jacopo Drudi Giulia Giovannini Gerardo Gagliardo Giovanni Alberto Falcione Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli Dirk Seewald Mohamed F. Carlos Alberto Silva Reza Malekzadeh Lucas P. Merle #cybersecurity #IoT  

🇨🇭 Are you working or living in Zurich and interested in all things tech? Then do not miss the Italian Tech Forum on 6th February at Google EURD in Zurich. 🍫 The Italian Tech Forum (ITF) is designed to foster connections between the Swiss and Italian innovation ecosystems while raising awareness of Italian tech within Zurich’s Swiss tech and business community. Initiated by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland and the Italian Tech Hub, the Forum aims to provide the Zurich ecosystem with access to Italian innovation and exposure to the Italian ecosystem within the Zurich tech community. Our managing partner, Massimiliano Magrini, will participate in a Swiss-Italian panel discussion featuring tech experts from the ICE Italian Trade Agency, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Greater Zurich Area, Kickstart Innovation, and Swiss-Mile. 🍷 The event will also feature presentations on Italian innovation and a networking aperitivo to connect you with professionals from the Italian and Swiss tech communities. 📆 Info and registration in the comments. Uf Widerluege! cc Gino Mattiuzzo Fabrizio Macri  Camera di Commercio Italiana per la Svizzera

Sharing our first newsletter of the year ❤️ I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It’s a comprehensive roundup of the second half of 2024, featuring United Ventures' & portfolio updates, venture capital insights, and a few book recs. Have a read and let me know your thoughts!

United Ventures' newsletter is out 🌤️ We are pleased to share our first newsletter of 2025, including an overview of United Ventures' portfolio and team additions from the past half-year, our top content picks (articles and podcasts), and a few book recommendations to help kickstart your "read more" resolution for the new year 📚 Inside, you'll find: - Our latest investments in Volume, Stema and IdentifAI - Find Origin - - Portfolio updates featuring xFarm Technologies, D-Orbit, Electra Vehicles, Inc., Moneyfarm, and Aindo - A warm welcome to our new team member, Francesca Perrotti - An inspiration to embrace the new year as one of continuous, surprising beginnings 🫶 - And much more! Read the newsletter: https://lnkd.in/d6Eq9sdp Don't miss the next one – subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/eKDNadY If you know someone who might be interested, feel free to forward it along 💌