DoveConviene raises €3.5 million from Principia SGR

Do you like leaflets? I would say yes, and I bet that, on this days, before to go shopping you always throw an eye on the leaflet of your supermarket. After all, when it comes to an important purchase to do, such as a notebook or a smartphone it is always better to consult a leaflet, whether in paper or electronic format...you can't miss the opportunity, especially when you can save a bunch of money. Try to think about all the leaflets which are left into your postbox, the majority of which you end up throwing away because not interesting for you personal purchase decisions. What if there would be a digital platform just gathering together all these leaflets out there, which you could just find the best offers based on your ZIP code, being able to consult all the offers of the shops which are in your surroundings and, on top of that, you could even receive an e-mail alert which informs you about the best offers just based on your preferences. Even better if it is available via app directly on your Apple or Android device.

Well all the above described, is not an utopia, but just a smart idea, or better said, a good business model which has attracted the interest of one of Italy's leading VC funds.

Indeed DoveConviene, the digital platform which helps people to shop by saving money, thanks to the offers and leaflets presented in a "georeferenced" manner, has raised €3.5 million from  Principia II,

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Bangbite grows with Principia: €1.5 Million for oFootball

SASSARI (Italy), April 16, 2013 - Bangbite, benchmark start-up in the field of soccer manager games, announced the entry into the company of Principia Fund II, managed by Principia SGR, which has signed a capital increase of €1.5 million. The operation's objective is to support the development process of OFootball, the free social factory for aspiring coaches able to concentrate online more than 800,000 players, who share the passion for soccer and are motivated by a healthy competitive spirit.

The holding company of the KIVER Group, 2Music, Paolo Barberis and Gianpaolo Cattenari, shareholders of Bangbite, and Principia SGR signed an agreement which foresees the entry of Principia SGR - through its "Principia Fund II " - with a capital increase of €1.5 million. The new financial resources will be specifically allocated to develop the activity of the startup with offices in Sassari and Milan, supporting the international expansion consolidating establishing its in its benchmark sector. 

Bangbite, is supprted by some of leading national players in both industrial and financial aspect of Italian ICT: in addition to 2Music, the holding company of  KIVER Group (controlled by angel investor Idooo) and Principia SGR, the company may rely on the contribution of Nana Bianca, newborn Florentine business accelerator founded by Paolo Barberis.

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Innogest SGR and Principia SGR on Fund Raising Tour to back Italy's Dynamic Startup Ecosystem

Innogest SGR and Principia SGR two of Italy's leading VC-funds have recently announced the preparation of three new VC funds. The Turin (Innogest) and Milan (Principia) based seed investors after a very exciting and successful 2012 on the investment side, with respectively 3 (Innogest) and 12 (Principia) operations of seed and venture capital financing breakthrough ides and very promising Italian startups of now announced the launch of their new VC funds.

Innogest SGR has announced this week the first closing of the new fund, Innogest Capital II, at roughly 50 Mln Euro.  With the first closing of its second fund, Innogest SGR's total capital under management amounts now to 140 Mln Euro , confirming Innogest s position as the leading italian venture capital firm. Oh the other side Principia SGR revealed to the magazine MF-Milano Finanza that it is preparing the launch of two new venture capital funds for the development of innovative companies in the digital space, one dedicated to life sciences and the other conceived for the made in Italy (with exception for the food industry). Target of the funds raising are very ambitious: we talk about 100 Mln Euro each.

Michele Costabile, Vicepresident at Principia SGR, interviewed by BeBeez told that on March 30th, 2013 Principia II closed its investment period, having fully invested its financial endowment, at the net of paid and due fees. Overall, the fund has invested 53 Mln Euro in 30 different operations of seed and expansion capital in southern Italy.

The most important investment closed by Principia SGR was

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Jusp raises €4,500,000 ($6,000,000) from Principia II and Vertis Venture Funds

JUSP Spa a Milan-based startup operating in the mobile POS hot market, announced on Wednesday 3rd April, 2013 the closing of a $ 6 million (€ 4.5 mln) equity round with two, also Milan-based, leading VC funds, Principia II and Vertis Venture. The investment round represent one of the biggest rounds ever made by VC funds in italian startups.

The round was led by Principia SGR and Vertis SGR with the participation of some angel investors: Stefano Calderano (previously BNL Paribas, Banca Intesa and Poste Italiane), Paolo Giuda (Lehman Brothers)  Bruno Spadoni (former DG Setefi), Giulio Valiante (Saldi Privati and Jobrapido) and Simone Ranucci Brandimarte (Glamoo), who also led the first $700k seed investment in 2012.

The new management board is composed by Stefano Calderano (Previously BNL Paribas, Banca Intesa and Poste Italiane) as Chief Executive Office (CEO), Paolo Giuda Chief Financial Officer (CFO), founders Jacopo Vannetti and Giuseppe Nicola Saponaro as CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and COO (Chier Operating Officer) respectively. Roberto Mazzei currently president of Principia SGR has been appointed Chairman of JUSP. 

Thanks to the equity injection, Jusp will be able to

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Principia invests in D-Share

D-Share, an italian firm specialized in technologies and solutions for digital publishing, announced the entry of Principia SGR in its shareholding.

Principia SGR a leading italian venture capital firm, entered in D-Share by subscribing with the "Principia II" Fund an increase of the share capital for total 1.8 million €. 

D-Share was founded in 2010 with the target to develop solutions of excellence for the publishing industry, in order to accelerate the migration of traditional activities to the business of creation and distribution of digital contents. Thanks to the vertical competences in the media and digital publishing industry, as well as in the specialization in segments of exponential growth such as tablets, mobile, web content management, D-Share conquered a leadership role in the national arena and has successfully started its international expansion. The entry of  Principia SGR in the capital of D-Share will allow the company

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