French VC 360 Capital is doubling down on deeptech with the €85 million close of its latest technology transfer fund, Poli360 2. The fund is still open and moving toward a €100 million target, signalling continued appetite from institutional and corporate investors.
Active since 1997 and managing around €700 million in assets, the firm has built a reputation around backing technically complex startups early. With Poli360 2, that focus sharpens further, targeting ventures emerging directly from research labs and universities, where scientific breakthroughs are still taking shape.
Poli360 2 is classified as an Article 8 fund under the SFDR framework, meaning environmental and social characteristics are embedded into its investment approach. This aligns the fund with a broader shift in European capital toward responsible and impact-aware investing.
Turning research into real-world companies
Poli360 2 is designed to back early-stage deeptech startups and university spin-offs, working closely with leading research institutions. It builds on the model established by its predecessor, Poli360 1, launched in 2020.
With Poli360 2, the ambition is to scale that approach further, targeting 20 to 25 investments. Around 80% of the capital will be deployed in Italy, reinforcing the country’s growing deeptech ecosystem, while up to 20% will support startups across the rest of Europe. The goal is clear: bridge the gap between academic discovery and commercial impact.
The portfolio of investments
Beyond its Poli360 strategy, 360 Capital’s broader portfolio reflects its wide reach across deeptech, climate, and digital sectors. Companies such as Exotec, Preligens, and IriusRisk sit alongside emerging names like Spark Cleantech, Adaptronics, Withings, and Skillvue.
This mix highlights the firm’s approach of backing both breakthrough industrial technologies and scalable digital platforms. From robotics and AI to energy and cybersecurity, the portfolio spans sectors that are quietly reshaping how industries operate and compete.
Corporate backing
The investor base behind Poli360 2 reflects a wider change in how large organisations engage with innovation. Backers include the European Investment Fund, CDP Venture Capital, Italian pension funds, family offices, and major corporates such as Brembo, MBDA, and Lucchini RS.
For these corporates, participation goes beyond financial returns. It provides early access to breakthrough technologies and emerging startups that could shape their industries. Partnering with an experienced investor like 360 Capital, which counts corporates for roughly 30% of its limited partners, offers a structured way to stay close to innovation while managing risk.
The firm itself brings a long track record, having invested in over 170 companies. Recent highlights include the €220 million acquisition of Preligens by Safran in 2024, and backing Exotec, now recognised as France’s first industrial unicorn.
With teams based in Milan and Paris, 360 Capital is positioning Poli360 2 as more than just another fund. It is a continuation of a long-term strategy, one that connects research, industry, and capital to accelerate the next wave of European deeptech companies.
“With Poli360 2, we are strengthening our commitment to transforming world-class Italian and European research into globally competitive companies. By working side by side with universities, research centers, and visionary founders, we aim to support the next generation of deeptech champions who will shape the technological landscape of the coming decade” declares Alessandro Zaccaria, Partner at 360 Capital.
