What Novaterra does

Novaterra is a Milan-based private investment firm organized as Novaterra Holding S.p.A. that operates as an activist venture capital fund focused on what it terms "critical technologies" — specifically companies operating in its Planet Health and Human Preservation investment areas. Founded in 2021, the firm pursues two distinct investment pathways: "people investments," in which it backs visionary founders before they have a fully formed company idea, providing capital plus access to its operational network; and "early-stage investments," in which it provides capital along with hands-on strategic and operational support to existing early-stage companies. The firm explicitly positions itself around reinforcing European industrial and technological sovereignty.

Novaterra's core product is its investment and operational-support platform. Portfolio companies gain access to dedicated in-house teams across engineering, finance, marketing, talent, and operations for as long as needed, rather than receiving capital alone. The firm has disclosed four portfolio companies: Evaro (digital health prescription platform), Biocentis (genetic insect control biotech), Modulate Bio (small-molecule therapies for CNS disorders), and Ilios TX (Harvard spin-off developing neurodegenerative disease therapeutics). Through its Catalisi sub-brand, Novaterra operates a private membership club of 310+ angel investors who co-invest deal-by-deal alongside the firm, with the community sourcing 1,450+ deals annually.

Commercially, Novaterra generates revenue through conventional fund economics — management fees and future carried interest on portfolio exits — supplemented by Catalisi's syndicate economics. The firm is privately held with no parent company, no public listing, and limited disclosed financial information beyond an initial ~$1.69M capital raise in late 2021. Its go-to-market is entirely relationship-driven: partners source deals through their network and the Catalisi community, supported by content marketing via the Novaterra Insights Medium blog. As a fund, its "customers" are its limited partners and portfolio founders; its distribution channels are direct partner outreach and the Catalisi membership platform, both global in scope.

Name

Novaterra

Legal name

Novaterra Holding S.p.A.

Website

https://novaterra.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Novaterra is a Milan-based private investment firm that backs early-stage European critical-technology companies in Planet Health and Human Preservation, offering capital plus in-house operational teams, and syndicating deals through its Catalisi angel-investor club.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital / Impact Investing

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA), Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI), Emerging Manager / Seeding Platforms (Multi-Manager) (FSANAGAF)

Keywords

• Venture capital
• Early-stage investment
• Impact investing
• Critical technologies
• Angel investing

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns and Management Fees: Novaterra generates returns through equity ownership in portfolio companies. They invest capital in early-stage ventures and people investments, expecting financial returns alongside societal impact. Their approach combines financial support with operational expertise to build successful companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Novaterra is a European activist investment firm that deploys capital into early-stage ventures and visionary individuals tackling critical technology challenges in Planet Health and Human Preservation. The firm operates two investment pathways—direct "people investments" backing founders pre-company, and "early-stage investments" funding existing ventures—while providing hands-on operational support through dedicated in-house teams in engineering, finance, marketing, talent, and operations.

Product overview

Novaterra is a European impact investment firm that operates as both an investment vehicle and operational support platform. The firm offers two core investment pathways: People investments backing visionary founders pre-company, and Early-stage investments supporting existing ventures. The Catalisi membership platform provides external angel investors access to portfolio opportunities. The portfolio spans four portfolio companies: Evaro (digital health prescription platform), Biocentis (genetic insect control biotech), Modulate Bio (CNS disorder therapies), and Ilios TX (neurodegenerative disease therapeutics), all aligned with the firm's Planet Health and Human Preservation focus areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Catalisi: A private investment club that provides exclusive access to Novaterra investments and insights, allowing members to become shareholders of portfolio companies and invest alongside 310+ selected angels.

Products and services

• People Investments

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Catalisi MemberscoreOthersCatalisi is a private membership club with 310+ angel investors who invest alongside Novaterra. Members gain exclusive access to Novaterra investments and insights, deal-by-deal investing opportunities, and can become shareholders of portfolio companies. The community provides networking opportunities and access to confidential deals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• United Ventures: Milan-based early-stage VC investing in Italian and European technology startups; highly comparable in stage, geography, and portfolio company support approach.
• Club degli Investitori: Turin-based business angel network investing in Italian early-stage companies; directly comparable to Catalisi in serving angel investors with curated deal flow in Italy.
• Italian Angels for Growth: Italy's largest business angel network, providing deal flow and co-investment opportunities for early-stage ventures — a direct analogue to Novaterra's Catalisi community and its angel-syndication model.
• LIFTT: Italian deep-tech pre-seed/seed VC focused on critical and industrial technologies; comparable to Novaterra's early-stage critical-tech thesis and people/team-investment approach.
• Indaco Venture Partners: Italian early-stage VC backing technology and digital companies, including health and deep tech; comparable in stage, geography, and operational support model to Novaterra.
• Eureka! Fund: Italian technology transfer fund focused on deep-tech and industrial innovations; directly comparable to Novaterra's 'critical technologies' thesis and Italian academic/spin-out deal sourcing.
• EUVECA: European early-stage VC association and ecosystem player; thematically aligned with Novaterra's mission of unifying European founder-led, IP-rich companies across the West.

Broad incumbents

• Sofinnova Partners: Leading European life-sciences VC with deep biotech and medtech franchises; a broad incumbent operating in Novaterra's Human Preservation vertical with much greater scale and track record.
• CDP Venture Capital: Italy's state-backed VC operator with multiple sector/thematic funds; a broad incumbent in the same European critical-tech thematic space, though with materially greater capital and policy backing.

Regional players

• Healthware Ventures: European digital-health advisory and investment firm; comparable on the digital-health/health-tech side of Novaterra's portfolio (e.g., Evaro) though primarily a strategic advisory business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Novaterra