ExoLab Italia, a biotech start-up specialising in the realisation of exosome-based products and applications, announces that it has completed a EUR 5 million capital increase in a Series A financing round.
The operation involves four investment funds: Dsm-firmenich Ventures, CDP Venture Capital with an equal placement of Fondo Acceleratori and Fondo Italia Venture II, Fondo Linfa, managed by Riello Investimenti, and Maia Ventures.
The start-up was founded in 2020 with the aim of developing cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications for plant exosomes, cellular vesicles derived from fruit that can enhance the efficacy of traditionally used ingredients. The idea is to exploit the abundant resources of Italian organic agriculture and turn them into the ground for scientific discoveries. Thanks to a proprietary technology and an advanced research and development programme, ExoLab Italia is now committed to the innovation of natural functional actives. “The funds raised will make it possible to realise an ambitious strategic plan, which includes industrial scale-up, internationalisation, and a decisive investment in human and territorial capital,” says Gabriele Campi, CEO of ExoLab (pictured here with the other co-founders), in a note.
‘We are particularly proud of this partnership with ExoLab,’ comments Alessandro Scortecci, chief direct investment officer of CDP Venture Capital. ‘Plant-derived exosomes are emerging as a revolutionary frontier in biomedical technologies and sciences and, thanks to the advanced research conducted by the ExoLab team, they stand out as a potential game changer in the cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical sectors. Their extraordinary bioactive properties, coupled with their high biocompatibility, make them ideal for developing innovative applications to improve health and wellbeing, opening up new horizons for evolving markets.
ExoLab Italia was founded by Mariantonia Logozzi (chief technology officer) and Stefano Fais (scientific director), with experience at the Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), together with Lorenzo Cilli (chief financial officer) and Valerio Carconi (head of marketing & sales). The innovative vision behind the project immediately attracted the interest of Scientifica Venture Capital, ExoLab Italia’s historic investor, which recognised the company’s potential and supported its growth from the outset. Within Scientifica’s laboratories in L’Aquila, ExoLab Italia set up its innovative research and development programme. Today, Scientifica continues to support ExoLab as a strategic partner, working alongside the company in this new phase.
Thanks to the support of the new investors, ExoLab Italia will move from a 300 square metre research and production laboratory to a major facility of over a thousand square metres, also in L’Aquila, designed to optimise production processes: this is one of the levers to become the world’s leading player in the production of plant-based exosome ingredients. The expansion will not only increase production capacity, but will also offer new opportunities for implementing advanced research projects. ‘This capital increase represents a turning point for ExoLab Italia. We are laying the foundation for a future of sustainable growth and continuous innovation,’ says Logozzi.
With the investment, ExoLab Italia aims to consolidate its presence in European and non-European markets and to enter new key geographic areas. This step will be made possible by a strategy aimed at building local partnerships and strengthening the brand’s visibility on a global level. Internationalisation goes hand in hand with an overall increase in staff: the company plans to hire 20 new resources over the next three years, with a focus on the recruitment of specialised talents and highly qualified figures.
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