Deep Blue Ventures

Deep Blue Ventures (DBV) is Italy's first deep tech venture capital fund focused on Rome, launched in 2023 and managed by Deep Ocean Capital SGR S.p.A. The fund closed its first tranche at EUR 40.8 million against a EUR 70 million target, backed by cornerstone investors including the European Investment Fund (EIF), CDP Venture Capital SGR, Blue Ocean Finance, and ReItaly21 — a coalition that reflects DBV's ambition to anchor Rome in the European deep tech map. The fund leads at seed stage, with selective Series A participation. DBV deploys EUR 500,000 to EUR 2.5 million per investment, targeting exponential technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, photonics, cybersecurity, synthetic biology, and advanced materials applied to strategic sectors such as aerospace, healthcare, and sustainability. The portfolio of 7 investments — completed within the first 18 months of operation — includes AI4IV in neuromorphic computing, OhmSpace in aerospace, PhotonPath in semiconductor photonics, Genoa Instruments in super-resolution microscopy, and Random Power in quantum randomness. Key institutional partners include Leonardo, the European Space Agency, I3P incubator at Politecnico di Torino, the Italian Institute of Technology, and the National Research Council. DBV is led by Chairman and Co-Founder Emilia Garito, CEO and Co-Founder Domenico Nesci, and Chief Investment Officer Paolo Cellini. The firm operates a Deep Tech Factory Model that combines venture capital with venture building to accelerate the de-risking of breakthrough technologies from Italian and European research institutions into scalable commercial ventures.