What The Equity Club does

The Equity Club S.r.l. (TEC) is an Italian private investment club deal initiative headquartered in Milan, founded in 2019 and promoted jointly by its management and Mediobanca. The firm coordinates syndicated equity investments in mid-to-large cap Italian companies, bringing together a network of Italian entrepreneur families (including the Marzotto, Berlusconi, Giondi, and Neri families) with professional investors sourced from leading private equity and investment banking firms. Its stated investment thesis is to support companies with solid fundamentals and strong management teams through "moments of discontinuity," providing capital alongside strategic guidance and network access. TEC structures investments through a series of sector-specialized special purpose vehicles, including TEC Beauty, TEC Cyber, TEC Racing, TEC Holiday, TEC Movie, TEC Experience, Motortec, and AeroTEC, to organize holdings across biotech, cybersecurity, motorsport, hospitality, entertainment, automotive technology, aerospace, and other verticals. As of the May 2024 launch of its second-cycle program, the firm had secured a €900 million investment commitment from shareholders.

The portfolio spans 24+ companies across highly diversified industries — including Jakala (marketing technology), La Bottega and HSA Cosmetics (hospitality/personal care), Philogen (biotech, IPO'd Milan 2021), Lincotek (surface treatments), CY4Gate (cybersecurity, Euronext Growth Milan), ART Group (luxury automotive infotainment), Korus/Tatuus (motorsport), Regi (cosmetics manufacturing), Club del Sole (open-air hospitality, 23 villages), Rainbow Group (animation/IP, including Winx Club), Forgital Group (aerospace forging), Lux Entertainment (immersive experiences), Isoclima (high-performance glass), and CareHub (healthcare). Investment economics are not publicly disclosed; the firm operates as a private Italian S.r.l. and does not publish financial statements. Distribution is exclusively through private placement to qualified investors, with no public marketing or third-party distribution channels.

TEC is led by two Co-CEOs — Roberto Ferraresi (formerly 14 years as Partner at PAI Partners and Associate Director at UBS Leveraged Finance) and Filippo Penatti (formerly 20 years as Managing Director at The Carlyle Group and consultant at McKinsey) — supported by Investment Directors, Investment Managers, a People Operating Partner, and an Office Manager. The team of eight professionals carries a collective transaction track record exceeding €5 billion of invested capital across prior roles. The firm has no technology product, no proprietary AI/ML capability, and no consumer-facing distribution; value creation is delivered through capital, network access, and operating support to portfolio company management teams.

Name

The Equity Club

Legal name

The Equity Club S.r.l.

Website

https://equityclub.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Equity Club is a Milan-based, Mediobanca-promoted club deal investment firm that deploys syndicated equity into Italian mid-to-large cap companies alongside a network of entrepreneur families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity Investment Management

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Joint Venture CVC / Consortium Funds (Multi-corporate) (FSANAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) (FSANAAAF)

Keywords

• Private equity investments
• Club deal syndication
• Minority equity stakes
• Mid-cap investments
• Portfolio management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Management: The Equity Club operates as a club deal initiative generating returns through equity investments in portfolio companies. Revenue is derived from management of investor capital, co-investment opportunities, and portfolio company value creation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Equity Club (TEC) is a club deal investment initiative that aggregates numerous entrepreneur families to co-invest in mid-to-large Italian companies with solid fundamentals and excellent management teams during moments of discontinuity. The firm coordinates equity investments through sector-specific SPVs and provides portfolio companies with capital plus strategic support from its professional team and entrepreneur-family network. TEC's second investment program, launched in May 2024, has a €900 million allocation capacity.

Product overview

The Equity Club (TEC) is a club deal investment initiative promoted by its management and Mediobanca. It is not a technology product company but rather a private equity investment vehicle that brings together entrepreneur families and professional investors. The firm coordinates minority investments in portfolio companies across diverse sectors including biotech, cosmetics, automotive technology, entertainment, and hospitality. TEC operates through various sector-specific SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) such as TEC Beauty, TEC Racing, TEC Movie, TEC Holiday, TEC Cyber, and TEC Experience to manage investments in specific industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Equity Club (TEC) Club Deal Initiative A club deal investment initiative that aggregates entrepreneur families and professional investors to provide equity capital and strategic support to mid-to-large Italian companies with solid fundamentals and excellent management teams during moments of discontinuity. The service coordinates investor syndicates, executes equity investments via sector-specific SPVs, and provides portfolio companies with strategic guidance, network access, and operational expertise. Available exclusively to qualified investors and entrepreneur families through private placement.

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ardian: Major European private investment house that co-invested with TEC in Jakala Group (2019). Much larger global platform with broader reach, but operates in the same Italian mid-market segment and competes for similar deals.
• FSI (Fondo Strategico Italiano / CDP Equity): Italian state-backed investment vehicle with multi-billion AUM actively investing in Italian mid-to-large cap situations. Competes for similar deals at the larger end of TEC's range and represents a much larger, government-backed alternative for Italian growth companies.
• Mediobanca Private Banking: Parent/affiliated entity of The Equity Club. Italian investment bank that promotes the TEC club deal initiative and provides institutional backing. While not a pure PE competitor, the broader Mediobanca group operates adjacent advisory, lending, and private banking businesses serving similar Italian mid-market clients.

Direct peers

• Wise Equity: Italian mid-market private equity firm actively co-invested with TEC (Tatuus acquisition via Wise Equity in 2023). Operates a similar mid-to-large cap Italian investment thesis and represents TEC's closest direct competitor in the lower-mid market.
• Quadrivio Capital: Italian alternative asset manager with multiple strategies including private equity and private debt targeting Italian mid-market companies. Overlapping investor base and similar transaction sizes to TEC.
• Investindustrial: Italian/European mid-market private equity firm focused on Italian family-owned businesses and mid-to-large cap situations. Direct competitor to TEC in the same Italian mid-market segment with similar family-relationship-driven approach and similar transaction sizes.
• Charme Capital Partners: Italian private equity firm focused on mid-market Italian companies with a similar entrepreneur-friendly investment approach. Competes directly with TEC for Italian mid-to-large cap deals and shares a similar family-office-driven LP base.
• Fondo Italiano d'Investimento: Italian private equity fund backed by major Italian institutional investors that co-invested with TEC in Isoclima (December 2025). Active in the same mid-market Italian segment with similar ticket sizes.
• NB Aurora (Neuberger Berman): Italian private equity arm of Neuberger Berman that co-invested alongside TEC Holiday in Club del Sole (19% stake). Targets similar Italian mid-cap situations with similar transaction structures.
• Clessidra Capital Credit: Italian private equity firm (formerly Clessidra SGR) focused on mid-market Italian investments. Comparable in size, sector approach (consumer, industrial, services), and target company profile to TEC's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A3 records

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about The Equity Club