SIMEST
CDP group company, 76% owned by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP)
Also known as SIMEST S.p.A.
Rome CDP-group company (76% CDP) backing Italian firms abroad; takes minority stakes in their foreign ventures and co-invests public Fondo 394 money; €832M equity portfolio at end-2025.
- HEADQUARTERS
- Rome, Italy
- FOUNDED
- 1991
- AUM
- €832M (2025)
- OUTSIDE CAPITAL
- No — own capital only
- TEAM LISTED
- 2 people
Focus
- STAGES
- SeedSeries AGrowth
- SECTORS
- Industrial & ManufacturingFood & AgricultureConsumer & E-commerceMobility & LogisticsClimate & Energy
- ASSET MIX
- Direct investmentsVenture capital
- GEOGRAPHY
- ItalyGlobal
Overview
SIMEST is the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti group company that since 1991 has supported the internationalisation of Italian companies; CDP owns 76% and Italian banks and business associations the rest. Besides subsidised loans and export credit support, it takes minority stakes, with a long-term horizon, in Italian companies’ foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures, alongside public venture capital resources of the Fondo 394/81. In 2025 it contracted 42 equity deals for €112M under the Fondo 394 venture capital section plus €102M of its own equity investments; its combined equity portfolio was €832M at 31 December 2025.
Investment thesis
Minority, long-term stakes supporting Italian companies’ investments abroad (M&A, plants, joint ventures); co-investment with lead investors in internationalising SMEs and mid-caps (Sezione Crescita), stakes in project vehicles of international infrastructure contracts, and start-up/innovative SME investments with CDP Venture Capital.
PORTFOLIO (9)
- Adler Pelzer Swiss AG (with Adler Pelzer Holding)Mobility & Logistics
- Marcegaglia (UK) Ltd (with Marcegaglia Carbon Steel)Industrial & Manufacturing
- Antinori California (with Marchesi Antinori)Food & Agriculture
- Abet USA (with Abet)Industrial & Manufacturing
- Microtec USA (with Microtec)Industrial & Manufacturing
- Seco Asia (with Seco)Software & SaaS
- Fri-El Ethiopia Farming & Processing (with Ener.fin)Climate & Energy
- Tesmec Australia (with Tesmec)Industrial & Manufacturing
- Serioplast Australia (with Serioplast Global Services)Industrial & Manufacturing
People
Links
Frequently asked questions
SIMEST is a government-backed fund based in Rome, Italy, founded in 1991.
Yes. SIMEST invests its own capital in private companies.
SIMEST invests at Seed, Series A and Growth stages in Industrial & Manufacturing, Food & Agriculture, Consumer & E-commerce, Mobility & Logistics and Climate & Energy.
Key people at SIMEST include Vittorio de Pedys (Chairman) and Regina Corradini D’Arienzo (Chief Executive Officer and General Manager).
SIMEST's investments include Adler Pelzer Swiss AG (with Adler Pelzer Holding), Marcegaglia (UK) Ltd (with Marcegaglia Carbon Steel), Antinori California (with Marchesi Antinori), Abet USA (with Abet), Microtec USA (with Microtec), Seco Asia (with Seco), Fri-El Ethiopia Farming & Processing (with Ener.fin) and Tesmec Australia (with Tesmec), among others.
SIMEST states that it accepts submissions through its official contact page.
No. SIMEST invests its own capital and does not raise money from outside investors.