LA

Luca Ascani

Europe, Lazio, Italy, Rome

Description

Luca Ascani is a distinguished Italian entrepreneur and investor, widely recognized for his pivotal role in the European technology ecosystem. As the founder and CEO of Lambda Alpha, an investment company established in 2014, Ascani primarily focuses on early-stage technology companies. His investment philosophy is deeply rooted in his own successful entrepreneurial journey, having previously founded and led Populis, a major European digital media group later acquired by eDreams ODIGEO, and Blogo, an influential Italian blog network.

Lambda Alpha's investment strategy targets disruptive technology companies across various sectors, including fintech, proptech, SaaS, and consumer applications. The firm actively participates in pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding rounds, seeking out innovative solutions and strong management teams. Ascani's hands-on experience as a founder provides a unique value proposition, extending beyond capital to offer strategic guidance, operational support, and access to a robust network, which is particularly beneficial for nascent startups navigating the challenges of early growth.

The portfolio of Lambda Alpha showcases a diverse array of successful ventures, many of which have gone on to raise significant follow-on funding and achieve considerable market traction. Notable investments include Satispay, a leading mobile payment platform; Casavo, an innovative proptech company; and Bear, a popular note-taking application. Currently, Lambda Alpha boasts a portfolio of approximately 13 active companies, reflecting Ascani's commitment to fostering a vibrant startup landscape.

Through Lambda Alpha, Luca Ascani typically deploys initial cheques ranging from $100,000 to $750,000, aligning with the capital requirements of early-stage ventures. This range allows the firm to act as a significant angel or a key participant in seed rounds, often paving the way for larger institutional investments in subsequent stages. His enduring presence and strategic investments continue to shape the future of technology in Italy and beyond.

Investor Profile

Luca Ascani has backed more than 34 startups, with 1 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 2 rounds, about 6% of its total and boasts 3 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Pre Seed, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in France, Italy, United Kingdom.
  • Strong thematic focus on FinTech, Software, Financial Services.
  • Typical check size: $100K – $750K.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (47%)
  • Pre Seed (29%)
  • Series A (9%)
  • Undisclosed (6%)
  • Secondary Market (6%)
  • Equity Crowdfunding (3%)

Country Focus

  • France (29%)
  • Italy (24%)
  • United Kingdom (18%)
  • Germany (12%)
  • Croatia (9%)
  • Spain (3%)
  • United States (3%)
  • Ireland (3%)

Industry Focus

  • Fintech
  • Software
  • Financial Services
  • Mobile Apps
  • Finance
  • Information Technology
  • Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
  • Saas
  • Banking
  • Internet
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Luca Ascani frequently co-invest with?

2100 Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
II
Europe, Lombardia, Italy, Milano
Co-Investments: 4
Fasanara Capital
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
Proximity Capital
Europe, Lombardia, Italy, Milano
Co-Investments: 2
Exor Ventures
Europe, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands, Amsterdam
Co-Investments: 6
United Ventures
Europe, Lombardia, Italy, Milan
Co-Investments: 3
Plug and Play
North America, California, United States, Sunnyvale
Co-Investments: 3
Co-Investments: 2
HCVC
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Co-Investments: 3
Notion Capital
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does Luca Ascani often collaborate with?

MD
Europe, Lombardia, Italy, Milan
Shared Deals: 2
EL
North America, Florida, United States, Miami Beach
Shared Deals: 2
WN
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
GT
Europe, Lombardia, Italy, Milan
Shared Deals: 2
CH
North America, New York, United States
Shared Deals: 2
AM
Europe, Lombardia, Italy, Milan
Shared Deals: 3
SC
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 3
MR
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
TH
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 3
MC
Europe, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Bologna
Shared Deals: 2

What are some of recent deals done by Luca Ascani?

ReportAId

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

ReportAId is a artificial intelligence company that provides health data for medical reports that is used by patients, doctors, hospitals.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)CRMSaaS
Pre SeedMay 6, 2025
Amount Raised: $2,489,814
Fence

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Building internet native debt capital markets

BlockchainFinTechSaaS
Pre SeedNov 20, 2023
Amount Raised: $1,970,047
qomodo

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Fintech, Lending, Payment, SaaS

FinanceFinancial ServicesFinTech
Pre SeedNov 7, 2023
Amount Raised: $36,903,448
Jet HR

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

We make managing people and payroll incredibly simple

Human ResourcesSaaS
Pre SeedJun 26, 2023
Amount Raised: $5,127,584
Superlayer

London, England, United Kingdom

Superlayer is a SaaS that equips sales teams with the best weapons to succeed.

Business IntelligenceSalesSoftware
Pre SeedFeb 2, 2023
Amount Raised: $1,300,000
Futura

Saint-raphaël, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France

Futura publishes news on science, health, technology, discoveries and planets.

Health CareMedia and EntertainmentNewsPublishing
SeedAug 1, 2022
Amount Raised: $1,847,230
Futura

Milano, Lombardia, Italy

Futura provides personalized learning using data driven approach and modular classes that adapt to student's Individual needs.

E-LearningEducationInformation Technology
SeedJul 6, 2022
Amount Raised: $1,833,173
Teta

Roma, Lazio, Italy

Build an app in a weekend, collaborating with your whole team.

Information TechnologyMobile AppsSoftware
Pre SeedDec 1, 2021
Pliant

Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Pliant helps companies in issuing adaptable physical and virtual credit cards tailored to their unique business requirements and processes.

Credit CardsFinanceFinancial ServicesFinTech
SeedAug 6, 2021
Amount Raised: $6,469,538
Friday Finance

Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Friday Finance is a finance management platform that automates financial management for startups and SMBs.

BankingFinanceFinancial ServicesFinTechPaymentsSoftware
SeedJun 22, 2021
Amount Raised: $2,984,098