Italian Founders & Fundraising

Gather insights from Italian founders on fundraising knowledge, preferences, and challenges. Results will be presented and discussed live during the webinar.

Disclaimer. This survey is completely anonymous. We do not collect names, emails, IP addresses, or any information that could identify you. Results will be presented exclusively in aggregate form and may be used for future publications or research on fundraising in Italy. By completing this survey, you confirm you have understood this information.

Estimated completion time: 4-5 minutes

Q1. At what stage is your startup?

Idea stage (no product yet)

MVP / Prototype

First paying customers

Product-market fit achieved

Scaling phase

Q2. What sector does your startup operate in?

SaaS / Software

DeepTech / AI

E-commerce / Marketplace

FinTech

HealthTech / BioTech

Hardware / IoT

Consumer / B2C

Other

Q3. Have you raised external capital before?

A

No, this would be my first fundraise

B

Yes, from friends & family

C

Yes, from angels or angel networks

D

Yes, from accelerators or incubators

E

Yes, from venture capital funds

F

Yes, from grants or public funding

G

Yes, from crowdfunding

Q4. How familiar are you with international accelerator programmes (e.g., Y Combinator, Techstars, Founder Institute)?

I've heard of them but don't know how they work

I understand how they work but haven't applied

I've applied but wasn't accepted

I've participated in one

Not familiar at all

Q5. Would you consider joining an accelerator programme?

Yes, it's a priority for me

Yes, if the right opportunity came along

Maybe, but I have concerns

No, I don't think it's right for my startup

I'm not sure what value they provide

Q6. What is your biggest concern about accelerator programmes? (Select up to 2)

Equity dilution is too high

Time commitment is too demanding

Not sure they add real value

Programme content may not fit my needs

Relocation or travel requirements

I don't have concerns

Other

Q7. Do you believe Italian founders need to "go to Silicon Valley" to build a successful global startup?

It helps significantly but isn't required

It's one option among many

No, you can build globally from Italy

I'm not sure

Yes, it's essential

Q8. How would you rate your knowledge of the following financing options?

Q9. Which financing approach interests you most for your next round? (Select up to 2)

Traditional Venture Capital

Angel investors or angel networks

Smart equity or revenue-based financing

Equity crowdfunding

EU grants and public funding

Corporate partnerships or Corporate VC

Bootstrapping / no external capital

I don't know yet

Q10. What matters most to you when choosing an investor? (Rank your top 3, where 1 = most important)

1

Amount of capital available

1

Industry expertise and connections

1

Hands-on support and mentorship

1

Speed of decision-making

1

Fair valuation and terms

1

Reputation and portfolio companies

1

Alignment with long-term vision

Q11. "Money is a commodity; context is not." How much do you agree?

Strongly agree — the right investor matters more than the amount

Somewhat agree — both matter equally

Somewhat disagree — capital amount is more important

Strongly disagree — money is what I need most

I'm not sure

Q13. If exit is a goal, what type do you consider most realistic?

Acquisition by an Italian company

Acquisition by a European company

Acquisition by a US or global company

IPO on European markets

IPO on US markets (NASDAQ, NYSE)

I don't know

Exit is not a goal for me

Q14. Do you design your product and business model with international markets in mind from day one?

Yes, we think globally from the start

Partially — we start in Italy but plan to expand

No, we focus on Italy first and will consider international later

Our product/service is only relevant to the Italian market

Q15. What is the biggest obstacle to scaling your startup internationally? (Select up to 2)

Limited capital

Lack of international network and connections

Product not yet ready for other markets

Language and cultural barriers

Regulatory complexity

Don't know where to start

I don't see major obstacles

Other

Q16. What is your single biggest challenge with fundraising right now?

I don't know where to start

I don't understand which financing option is right for me

I can't get meetings with investors

I get meetings but can't close investment

Valuations and terms offered are unattractive

I lack a strong network in the investor community

I'm not sure my startup is "fundable"

Other

	Never	Understand Basic	Know Wells	Have used it
Venture Capital
Angel Investment
Smart Equity / Revenue Based Financing
Equity Crowdfunding
EU Grants (e.g. EIC Accelerator)
Italian Public Incentives (e.g. Smart & Start)
Corporate Venture Capital