L'Aquila, February 18th 2025

ExoLab Italia, a biotech startup specializing in the creation of products and applications based on exosomes, announces a €5 million capital increase in a Series A funding round. The operation involved four investment funds: dsm-firmenich Ventures, CDP Venture Capital Sgr – with an equal placement from the Fondo Acceleratori and Fondo Italia Venture II – Linfa Fund, managed by Riello Investimenti Sgr, and Maia Ventures.

The startup was founded in 2020 with the goal of developing cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical applications for plant-based exosomes, cellular vesicles derived from fruit that enhance the effectiveness of traditionally used ingredients. The idea is to leverage the abundant resources of Italian organic agriculture and transform them into a field for scientific discoveries. Thanks to proprietary technology and an advanced R&D program, ExoLab Italia is now a leader in the innovation of natural functional actives.

“The funds raised will allow us to implement an ambitious strategic plan, including industrial scale-up, internationalization, and a decisive investment in human and territorial capital” says Gabriele Campi, CEO of ExoLab.

“We are particularly proud of this partnership with ExoLab,” comments Alessandro Scortecci, Chief Direct Investment Officer of CdP Venture Capital Sgr. “Plant-derived exosomes are emerging as a revolutionary frontier in biomedical technologies and sciences, and thanks to the advanced research conducted by the ExoLab team, they stand out as a potential game changer in the cosmetic, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical sectors. Their extraordinary bioactive properties, combined with high biocompatibility, make them ideal for developing innovative applications aimed at improving health and wellness, opening new horizons for evolving markets.”

ExoLab Italia was founded by Mariantonia Logozzi (Chief Technology Officer) and Stefano Fais (Scientific Director), with significant experience at the Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), along with Lorenzo Cilli (Chief Financial Officer) and Valerio Carconi (Head of Marketing & Sales). The innovative vision behind the project immediately attracted the interest of Scientifica Venture Capital, ExoLab Italia’s historical investor, which recognized the company's potential and supported its growth from the beginning. Within Scientifica’s laboratories in L’Aquila, ExoLab Italia launched its innovative Research & Development program. To this day, Scientifica continues to support ExoLab as a strategic partner, accompanying the company into this new phase.

Industrial Scale-Up: A New Era for ExoLab Italia

With the support of the new investors, ExoLab Italia will move from a 300 sq.m. research and production laboratory to a larger facility of over 1,000 sq.m., still in L’Aquila, designed to optimize production processes. This is one of the key steps in becoming the global leader in the production of plant-derived exosome-based ingredients. The expansion will not only increase production capacity but also offer new opportunities for advanced research projects.

“This capital increase represents a turning point for ExoLab Italia. We are laying the foundations for a future of sustainable growth and continuous innovation” said Mariantonia Logozzi.

Internationalization and Recruitment

With this investment, ExoLab Italia aims to strengthen its presence in European and non- European markets and expand into new key geographical areas. This step will be made possible by a strategy focused on building local partnerships and enhancing the brand’s visibility globally. Internationalization is paired with an overall increase in staff: the company plans to hire 20 new employees over the next three years, with a particular focus on hiring specialized talents and highly qualified individuals.