The Limited Partner base brings together institutional investors, such as the European Investment Fund (EIF) and CDP Venture Capital Sgr, alongside private investors, which include leading Italian food corporates and their family offices, such as Teseo Capital sicav-sif, Cereal Docks (through its CVC Grey Silo Ventures), Andriani, among others.

Maia, an article 8 SFDR fund, aims to pursue both financial and impact objectives by building a healthier, more efficient, and more resilient food system for all. The Italian VC is positioned as a value add partner, bridging Italy’s well established food industry with the most promising startups emerging from leading accelerators, universities and the broader agrifoodtech ecosystem.

“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. 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,” said David Bassani, Founding Partner, Maia Ventures.

The team behind Maia Ventures is made up of former founders, investors, industry operators, and scientists, and is supported by a technical advisory group that includes representatives of some of the leading agrifood universities and corporates.

Maia believes that the current downturn in AgriFoodTech funding is generating a unique window of opportunity for investors who focus on structural global shifts in the space, tackling the most pressing industry challenges. Within this opportunity, Maia places particular emphasis on the convergence of food, health and sustainability, supporting innovations that deliver both individual well-being and systemic resilience.

“By combining deep industry know-how with a strong industrial network, Maia is best positioned to identify and invest in solutions to problems that matter, instead of in solutions in search of a problem. This, we believe, is the key to tangibly accelerate the much-needed evolution of our industry,” said Andrea Galassi, Founding Partner at Maia Ventures.

“We invested in Maia Ventures because it connects Italy’s world-class food industry with breakthrough AgriFoodTech innovation. The team’s deep expertise and robust network enable them to identify high-impact deeptech solutions at the intersection of nutraceutical, food and health, where long-term value and systemic resilience are established,” said Claudia Pingue, Head of Tech Transfer Fund of CDP Venture Capital.

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