Italian Business Angel Network (IBAN)

What Italian Business Angel Network (IBAN) does

IBAN (Associazione IBAN – Italian Business Angels Network) is a legally recognized nonprofit association, founded in 1999 and formally registered with the Prefettura di Milano in 2012, that serves as Italy's national reference body for business angel activity. It operates a two-sided platform that connects Italian startups seeking seed and early-stage capital with individual business angels and informal investors, primarily through its website (iban.it), which hosts a members-only reserved area where registered startups submit projects and angels review deal flow. Supporting services include a 26-member Evaluation Committee that has screened over 300 projects and selected 35 high-potential startups, an annual Survey on Angel Investing in Italy (now in its 23rd edition, supervised by Prof. Vincenzo Capizzi of Università del Piemonte Orientale and SDA Bocconi), and recurring training programs delivered in partnership with AIFI.

The association runs on a small operational base of 1-10 employees and generates revenue from membership fees, training course participation (e.g., the Corso IBAN-AIFI for business angels, with a 50% discount for IBAN members), and survey/research activities. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: IBAN organizes and participates in forums such as Energy Investor Forum 2025, BAN Liguria Startup events, Demo Days (INNOVATECH), and EIC information sessions, supplemented by newsletters, webinars, press releases, and educational guides produced with KPMG and AIFI. The 2025 IBAN Survey reports that Italian business angels deployed approximately 920 million EUR across 74 target companies autonomously, with 81% of operations syndicated with venture capital funds and over half of deals exceeding 500,000 EUR.

Beyond its core matchmaking function, IBAN is institutionally embedded in the Italian and European early-stage ecosystem through partnerships with AIFI, CDP Venture Capital SGR, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Business Angels Europe, France Angels, KPMG, and European institutions (European Commission, EIB, Bpifrance). It participates in multi-partner consortia such as SEIFA (sustainable energy investment across 8 CEE countries), NASCHA (North Adriatic hydrogen ecosystem), and INNOVATECH (Tunisia-Italy startup bridging), and in December 2025 co-launched the Defence Angels European Network (DAEN), the first pan-European business angel network dedicated to DefenceTech and strategic innovation.

Name

Italian Business Angel Network (IBAN)

Legal name

Associazione IBAN – Italian Business Angels Network

Website

https://iban.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IBAN (Associazione IBAN – Italian Business Angels Network) is Italy's national nonprofit association connecting startups with business angels via its website, evaluation committee, annual survey, and training programs, in partnership with AIFI, CDP Venture Capital, and European institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Angel Investing Network

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Broker-Dealers (Retail Network) (FSAAAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Introducing Broker (IB) (FSAEACAE)

Keywords

• Angel investing network
• Startup funding platform
• Venture capital association
• Investor matchmaking services
• Entrepreneur evaluation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Magenta

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: IBAN generates revenue through membership fees from business angels and stakeholders who join the association. Members gain access to the reserved area to view startup projects and participate in IBAN activities.
2. Training and education programs: IBAN collaborates with AIFI to deliver training courses for business angels and informal investors. Revenue is generated through course participation fees, with 50% discounts offered to IBAN members.
3. Survey and research activities: IBAN conducts annual surveys on angel investing in Italy under academic supervision, providing market intelligence that supports the organization's visibility and member value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IBAN is a non-profit association that operates a web portal connecting business angels with startups seeking early-stage investment in Italy. Startups submit entrepreneurial projects through the platform, where an Evaluation Committee of experienced business angels reviews and selects high-potential ventures. The association complements this with annual market research (the IBAN Survey), training courses (IBAN-AIFI), networking events, and participation in European initiatives that connect Italian angel capital with innovation ecosystems.

Product overview

IBAN (Italian Business Angels Association) is a not-for-profit association that serves as the reference organization for Business Angels in Italy, operating for over 20 years. Rather than a single unified software product, IBAN operates a web portal (iban.it) that functions as a virtual meeting place connecting Business Angels with startups. The portal includes a reserved area where startups submit projects for evaluation and where registered Business Angels review proposals. Key supporting offerings include the annual IBAN Survey (now in its 23rd edition, providing market data on angel investing), the IBAN-AIFI Training Course for Business Angels and informal investors, and several initiatives such as SEIFA (sustainable energy investment), NASCHA (hydrogen ecosystem), INNOVATECH (Tunisia-Italy startup bridging), and the Defence Angels European Network (DAEN). The association also runs a Valutazione Committee that evaluates submitted projects and selects high-potential startups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBAN Website Platform Web portal functioning as a virtual meeting place between business angels and startups with innovative ideas, providing information and guidance on the startup ecosystem with a reserved area for registered startups to submit projects for evaluation by business angels.
• IBAN Annual Survey on Angel Investing in Italy Annual research publication (now in its 23rd edition, conducted December-January each year) supervised by Prof. Vincenzo Capizzi, providing the most accurate picture of business angel investments in Italy and measuring the extent and role of angel investing in supporting the birth and growth of startups.
• IBAN Evaluation Committee (Startup Evaluation Service) A committee of IBAN-associated business angels that evaluates entrepreneurial projects submitted through the platform and selects high-potential startups, promoting them as 'Project of the Month' and 'Startup of the Year'. The committee has evaluated over 300 projects and selected 35 high-potential startups that became scaleups.
• Corso IBAN-AIFI Training Course Training program for business angels and informal investors developed by IBAN in collaboration with AIFI, delivered through video-recorded contributions and live online lessons, with an optional 50% discount for IBAN members using code IBAN50.

Quantifiable outcome

• 920 million euros invested by Italian business angels in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CIES OnluscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026IBAN serves as strategic partner for INNOVATECH project, facilitating connections between Tunisian innovative entrepreneurship and Italian private capital investors. IBAN supports investor involvement in the acceleration program ALERE co-financed by the Italian Ministry of Interior.
• APRE (Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026IBAN participates in organizing online event 'Le novità EIC 2026: Accelerator e Advanced Innovation Challenges' together with APRE and AIFI, dedicated to EIC Work Programme 2026 updates.
• Defence Angels European Network (DAEN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025IBAN Association actively supports the setup of the first Pan-European Network of Business Angels dedicated to DefenceTech and Strategic Innovation, taking an active role in the final structure and operations. Driven by Défense Angels France, Business Angels Europe, national federations with support from Bpifrance, European Commission, and European Investment Bank.
• Business Angels EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025European federation of business angel networks driving the Defence Angels European Network (DAEN) initiative for early-stage funding in defence, dual-use, and critical technologies.
• France AngelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025French business angels federation collaborating on the Defence Angels European Network (DAEN) initiative to strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy.
• AIFI (Associazione Italiana del Private Equity, Venture Capital e Private Debt)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025IBAN collaborates with AIFI on training programs for business angels and informal investors. The partnership includes the Corso IBAN-AIFI training course with video-recorded contributions and live lessons on online training platform, with support from AIFI's Tax&Legal Commission.
• Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale dell'EnergiaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Co-organizer of Energy Investor Forum 2025, the first Italian event dedicated to strategies and matching for investment in Energy Transition supply chains.
• GreenHill AdvisoryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Co-organizer of Energy Investor Forum 2025, working with Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale dell'Energia and other partners to incentivize investments in innovative technologies and renewable energy plants.
• Elettricità FuturaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Collaborating organization for Energy Investor Forum 2025, promoting energy transition investments in Italy.
• Italian Tech AllianceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Collaborating organization for Energy Investor Forum 2025, supporting innovation ecosystem development.
• BpifranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Institutional partner supporting the Defence Angels European Network (DAEN) initiative launched at European Defence Week Paris.
• Venture Capital Monitor – VeM (Università LIUC and AIFI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025IBAN provides institutional support to the Venture Capital Monitor observatory at Università Carlo Cattaneo – LIUC and AIFI, contributing to monitoring early-stage institutional activity in Italy. IBAN's President Paolo Anselmo provides commentary on survey results.
• SEIFA ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2024IBAN is part of the SEIFA (Sustainable Energy Investing and Financing Activation) project consortium with 10 partners across 8 European countries, co-funded by the European Commission to increase sustainable energy investments in CEE region.
• NASCHA ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024IBAN participates in NASCHA consortium of 20 private and public organizations spanning Slovenia, Croatia, and Friuli Venezia Giulia, led by Area Science Park. NASCHA accelerates transnational innovation in North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem by validating renewable hydrogen technologies.
• Business Angels EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 July 2021IBAN is a member of Business Angels Europe, the European federation connecting national business angel networks.
• Impact Hub MilanominorOthersIBAN's office is hosted at Impact Hub Milano, a coworking and innovation space that supports the association's operations.
• Prof. Vincenzo Capizzi (Università del Piemonte Orientale and SDA Bocconi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic supervisor for IBAN's annual Survey on Angel Investing in Italy since its inception, providing research methodology and analysis for market intelligence.
• KPMGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner to IBAN guides on entrepreneurial project development and business plans, providing expertise in tax, legal, and business advisory.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Keiretsu Forum: Global network of accredited angel investor chapters across multiple countries, comparable to IBAN as a multi-chapter/multi-region angel membership organization with deal evaluation committees and a syndication-focused model.
• France Angels: French national federation of business angel networks, directly comparable to IBAN as a member-based national federation providing deal flow, training, evaluation, and ecosystem representation for business angels. France Angels is also a co-founding partner in the Defence Angels European Network alongside IBAN.
• Angel Capital Association (ACA): US-based professional membership association of angel investors and angel groups, providing education, syndication facilitation, and research services broadly analogous to IBAN's Survey and training programmes. Comparable as a large-scale national angel association operating in a more mature early-stage market.
• Business Angels Europe (BAE / EBAN): European federation of national business angel networks of which IBAN is a member. Direct peer as the pan-European umbrella organization representing the same constituency as IBAN at the supranational level, with training, events, and policy advocacy functions analogous to IBAN's national mandate.

Broad incumbents

• AIFI (Associazione Italiana del Private Equity, Venture Capital e Private Debt): Italian private equity, venture capital, and private debt industry association — a senior industry body serving institutional investors adjacent to IBAN's business angel constituency. AIFI is a core partner of IBAN and co-delivers the IBAN-AIFI training course, while IBAN supports the Venture Capital Monitor co-published by AIFI.

Emerging players

• Wefunder: US-based online investment platform enabling broad-based angel investing via Regulation Crowdfunding, providing an alternative discovery and funding channel to traditional angel networks such as IBAN with lower minimums and broader retail participation.
• AngelList: US-based online platform that matches startups with angel investors and enables rolling funds and syndicates. A potential disruptive peer to traditional membership-based networks like IBAN, bypassing the in-person association model through digital deal-matching and syndicated deal infrastructure.

Regional players

• German Business Angels Network (BAND): German national business angels association with comparable functions — deal flow platform, training, evaluation, and ecosystem representation — making it the closest German counterpart to IBAN in continental Europe's largest angel market.
• Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN): Finnish national business angel network and long-standing European peer to IBAN, providing deal matching, training, research, and ecosystem advocacy for individual investors within a single-country geography analogous to Italy.

Others

• Italian Tech Alliance: Italian technology ecosystem association representing startups, scaleups, investors, and corporate partners; a GTM partner of IBAN at the Energy Investor Forum and a complementary ecosystem organization serving overlapping Italian innovation constituencies without directly competing for angel members.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iban-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Italian Business Angel Network (IBAN)