Alessia Fontanari

💡 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗩𝗖 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 The European VC landscape is shifting and Q1 2025 is set to bring exciting developments! With market conditions improving, here’s what I’m keeping an eye on 👀 : 🤖 AI is still the main character AI continues to dominate funding rounds, expanding beyond SaaS into healthcare, logistics and customer experience. Even with concerns on regulatory uncertainty, investors are still betting big on AI-driven solutions and GenAI. 🌍 Climate & clean tech boom is here The energy transition isn’t slowing down. Expect to see more capital flowing into energy storage, clean energy and deep tech solutions aligned with Europe’s net-zero goals. ⚔️ Defense tech gains momentum With the European Investment Bank doubling its defense investments (€2 billion in 2025) and the European Defence Fund pushing over €1 billion into next-gen tech, areas like cybersecurity, drones and spacetech are gaining momentum. 🩺 Healthtech & biotech stay resilient Despite market fluctuations, health and biotech remain resilient. AI-led tools like AlphaFold are revolutionising drug discovery while personalised medicine and digital health continue to attract VC interest. 💻 Cybersecurity is no longer optional AI-powered cyber threats are increasing and so is investment in cybersecurity. More startups are integrating AI to boost digital resilience and this sector is set to see continued funding growth. 📈 IPO market: signs of life? With improving market conditions and successful IPOs like Reddit and Rubrik in the US, there is cautious optimism that this positive momentum could spillover and we might finally see more IPOs in Europe! What are you most excited about? Also check out the KPMG UK Venture Pulse report! 🔗 link in comment

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🏗️ Fund II is live — and it’s time to reinvent the physical backbone of Europe’s economy. At First Momentum Ventures, we just closed our oversubscribed €35M Fund II to continue backing the founders who are rebuilding industry from the ground up — in areas most VCs still overlook. The industrial stack is overdue for reinvention. From software-defined manufacturing to robotics, industrial AI, and novel materials, we’re seeing an explosion of innovation in sectors that were once off-limits to startups. This isn’t just about incremental efficiency. It’s about reimagining how we make, move, and maintain the physical world. The next generation of category leaders will be born at the intersection of deep tech and industrial process know-how — and we want to be there from day zero. With Fund II, we’ll invest €200k–€1M at pre-seed and provide the technical, operational, and go-to-market support that deeply technical teams need to get from prototype to product. We’ve already partnered with incredible teams transforming: 🔧 Manufacturing 🤖 Robotics & Automation ⚙️ Supply Chain Coordination 🧪 Materials Science 💻 Industrial Software & Simulation Europe has the talent and the infrastructure — now it’s time to unlock it. Let’s build the future of industry. 👉 Link to Sifted article in the comments Super thrilled to do this with an absolute dream team - Sebastian, Lena, Maximilian, Christian & Ana. Let's roll 🤘 #deeptech #newindustrials #manufacturingtech #robotics #automation #venturecapital #foundersfirst #preseed #hardwarestartups #supplychain #softwaredefinedmanufacturing #funding #firstmomentum

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Everybody needs to eat. This makes food delivery a good barometer for internet ecosystem maturity in a given market. People must eat, regardless of economic condition or social context. The only question is what to eat or how to buy. The choice to order online reveals something about a customer: their access to digital payments, willingness to trust internet services, and maybe even their disposable income. I hadn’t thought about it this way, but Osarumen makes a good case for food delivery as a useful lens for analyzing the dynamics of digital maturity in a given ecosystem. He then goes on to do just that in the rest of the article. Super insightful read. Read here: https://lnkd.in/dgZ3tdKF

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How Do Angel Investors Value Pre-Seed Startups? At the pre-seed stage, startups often have no revenue and minimal traction — which makes traditional valuation methods like EBITDA multiples useless. Instead, angel investors rely on a mix of early-stage valuation methodologies such as: 📊 Berkus Method – assigns value to elements like the team, prototype, market size, and strategic relationships. ⚖️ Scorecard Method – compares the startup against averages from similar deals in the region, adjusting for strengths and weaknesses. 💰 Venture Capital Method – estimates the exit value and works backward, applying expected ROI multiples. 🔮 Risk Factor Summation – starts from a baseline valuation and adjusts up or down based on 12 common risk factors (management, competition, legislation, etc.). The truth is, at this stage, investors look beyond numbers. While valuation methodologies help frame the deal, more than the money, investors also evaluate factors such as: 👥 The founding team – their skills, resilience, and ability to execute 💡 The problem being solved – is it significant, urgent, and scalable? 🚀 The proposed solution – how unique, innovative, and defensible is it? 📈 Market potential – is there room for exponential growth? 🛠️ Early validation signals – customer interviews, letters of intent, prototypes, or pilot interest. Pre-seed investing is often described as “betting on the jockey, not just the horse.” Angels know that the business will pivot, but the right team can adapt, learn, and grow. At this stage, valuations are more art than science, but structured approaches ensure fairness for both founders and investors. At CYBAN, we guide investors and founders through these methods to align expectations and build trust from day one. #AngelInvesting #StartupValuation #PreSeed #CYBAN

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