We're feeling pretty contrarian this January.
Right when everyone's backing away from diversity and inclusion stuff, we've been digging deep into which groups were most likely to drop out of our Venture Building program's selection process. And surprise surprise (not really) - it was women.
Here's the deal: women were dropping out twice as much as men throughout the process. And it got worse as they moved forward - in the final stages, they were dropping out at rates up to 150% higher than men. Now what? Sure, we could blame society, imposter syndrome, or throw around a bunch of other totally valid reasons. But honestly? We don't have it all figured out. There's no neat and tidy explanation for what's going on here. But we felt we needed to talk about it. So let's talk. Let's all take a hard look and think about how we can turn this around. Everyone needs to be part of this conversation. Because whatever your personal take on this might be, having women stay out of the tech ecosystem isn't just unfair - it's bad business for everyone.
As for us, in our final batch of selected participants, we have 27% women. And from here on out, we'll do everything in our power to ensure that the drop-out rate doesn't disproportionately impact them.
🌎 News from Vento
Our portfolio keeps growing. Here’s a sneak peek on one of our latest deals:
Bricks AI
What does Bricks AI do? Building internal tools is often slow and resource-heavy, creating inefficiencies for non-technical teams. Bricks AI solves this by transforming APIs into fully functional admin panels in minutes. It automates internal tool creation, adds access controls, and provides non-technical users with intuitive interfaces, streamlining operations and saving time for tech teams.
Who? Giuliano Torregrossa, with years as a Lead Software Engineer at several tech companies and a stint as Founder in Residence at Vento, combines expertise with Dario Di Carlo, previous Product Manager at Nibol holding an MSc in Innovation and Management from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna.
🔮Wisdom Pills from our Network
Everyone loves a good speech, especially one that makes you pause and reflect on the bigger picture. That’s why Italian Tech Week continues to be a beacon of inspiration. This year, Claudia Parzani, Chair of the Italian Stock Exchange and Deputy Chair of Il Sole 24 Ore, delivered a message that transcended tech and touched the essence of leadership, purpose and legacy.
Italian Tech Week 2024 featured an inspiring talk by Claudia Parzani, Chair of the Italian Stock Exchange, who challenged us to think beyond the present, reflecting on the mark and the legacy we want to leave.
Her words were a powerful reminder of what truly matters:
Purpose drives progress. Before diving into the “what” or “how”, focus on the “why”. Purpose, vision, and mission are the anchors that keep you grounded when navigating the maze of innovation.
Values and culture aren’t optional. Investing in values and fostering a strong culture isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. It’s the foundation of any endeavor that aspires to be meaningful and enduring.
Happiness is a business imperative. Success isn’t just measured in metrics; it’s reflected in the well-being and satisfaction of the people who make it all possible.
Claudia’s talk also carried a simple but profound message: listen. Give time to the people around you. As we reflect on her insights, we’re left with a question that goes beyond tech and into the heart of leadership: What legacy will you choose?
🫵 We want you! (Openings)
Looking for growth opportunities? Our companies are looking for bright individuals.
Give it a shot!
Plino is looking for a Full-Stack Engineer.
Almanax is looking for a Software Engineer.
BizAway is looking for a Sales Executive.
🤝 The Network Effect (only for our Portfolio Companies)
We are not just a fund: we are a partner. And we support our founders to the best of our abilities. How do we do it? Well, among other things we create synergies with companies to offer dedicated perks and help our founders work better, spending less!
🏦 Streamline your financial operations with Revolut. Access innovative solutions for international payments, expense management, and corporate cards, all through an intuitive platform designed to make business finances effortless.
🖥️ Collaborate, connect, and create with your team on Miro, a powerful visual platform. Startups in the Vento network can receive $1.000 in credit for the Team Plan. Apply here
📊 Supercharge your email outreach with Hunter, the all-in-one platform for finding and connecting with key contacts. Enjoy 30% off the first 3 months of any monthly plan and 10% off the first payment of any yearly plan to elevate your business connections effortlessly.
To get to these perks and 50+ other partnerships we have in place:
✨ The 3 Ls: Learned, Loved, Laughed
🤓 Learned
Roadmap: AI Infrastructure - Bessemer;
Who Owns Which KPIs? - Kyle Poyar;
The AI Revolution is running out of data - Nature.
😍 Loved
Heard about AI Agents but never had time to dive in? Google’s whitepaper has you covered;
Here’s the crystal ball of European deep-tech in 2025;
Engineering Startup Success, how to crack the code.
😂 Laughed
On Monday the 27th, our venture-building teams officially formed, each tackling a unique challenge. One team - Mira, Giacomo, and Mattia - is diving deep into the complexities of global relocation, working relentlessly to tackle the pain points.
But here’s where it gets fun: while researching competitors, they stumbled upon a startup called Mira Ai, an AI-driven company working on the very same challenge! Talk about a name that was meant to be.
Coincidence? Fate? Either way, let’s show them who the real Mira is!
We’re cheering for the entire batch of future founders as they take on bold challenges. The journey is just beginning and we can’t wait to see where it takes them! 🚀
🦄 If you
If you work in VC and want to receive updates about our Portfolio Companies, get in touch with us here.
If you are a founder and you are fundraising, apply here.
If you want to be a founder but don’t know where to start, click here.