Zanichelli Editore, Italy’s most established educational publisher, has launched ZNEXT-a €60M initiative to invest in technologies unlocking human potential across education, work, learning, and wellbeing. Announced in Milan on 23rd June 2025, ZNEXT will develop and acquire high-growth technology businesses focused on EdTech, the Future of Work, Lifelong Learning, and Wellbeing-sectors seen as critical to helping people thrive in an era of constant change.
The initiative marks a bold evolution for the 166-year-old company, known to generations of Italian students for its school and university textbooks. Now, with ZNEXT, Zanichelli is extending its mission beyond the page, aiming to back globally impactful technologies that empower individuals to learn, grow, and adapt throughout their lives.
From time-honoured publisher to human potential tech incubator
Today’s workforce faces a rapidly shifting landscape. Digital disruption, globalisation, and societal change reshape how people live and work. There is growing demand for human potential technologies that build adaptability, foster skills, and support personal wellbeing. ZNEXT enters this space with a venture builder model and a dedicated M&A vehicle. Both are designed to create and scale the companies that will lead this next era of human-centred innovation.
“Zanichelli Editore has an incredible history, including being the first to translate Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species into Italian in 1864. Darwin understood that humans are constantly changing, and it is neither the strongest nor the most intelligent that survive, but those most responsive to changing environments,” said Elena Lavezzi, CEO of ZNEXT.
Lavezzi, who previously held senior roles at Uber and Revolut, is drawing on her experience at high-growth companies to drive ZNEXT’s strategy. “Diversification is key, and the core Zanichelli business has continuously innovated, harnessing the potential of evolving markets for over 150 years. ZNEXT, alongside the existing VC fund Zanichelli Venture, represents the next branch in the company’s evolutionary tree. Having directly observed the impact of industry-defining change at Uber and Revolut, I am now excited to channel that same energy and ambition into unlocking the boundless potential within individuals through world-class technology,” she said.
A dual-track approach
ZNEXT will serve as both co-founder and growth partner to entrepreneurs. The initiative will collaborate with founders from Italy and around the world. It will also work with intrapreneurs within Zanichelli Editore to launch new businesses. The programme will offer up to €150,000 in pre-seed capital per startup. It will provide hands-on operational support, strategic guidance, and access to Zanichelli’s extensive network. Every opportunity will undergo a rigorous, data-led selection process to ensure market fit and technical strength.
In parallel, the M&A arm of ZNEXT will acquire majority stakes in established startups and smaller businesses. These businesses must align with its core thesis. The goal is to scale these companies by integrating advanced technology, refining business models, and accelerating market growth. It will preserve each brand’s existing leadership and expertise.
Backing championing human potential tech in a changing world
ZNEXT’s investment thesis is anchored in one of today’s most urgent global imperatives: adaptability. Whether through learning platforms, workplace upskilling tools, or digital wellbeing solutions, the initiative is committed to helping individuals and organisations respond to an increasingly complex world.
“The accelerating pace of technological change, globalisation, and evolving societal needs underscore the critical importance of human adaptability,” said Ferrante Enriques, major shareholder in Zanichelli Editore and ZNEXT, who led the project’s creation. “Whilst we are, and will always continue to be, vocal advocates for traditional education, there is no doubt that the world is changing, and innovative technology is unlocking human potential. We are committed to investing in this evolution, enabling citizens across the world to adapt the way they live, work and learn.”
Growth with purpose
ZNEXT has allocated €60M to build and acquire companies. These companies push the boundaries of personal development and performance. Zanichelli’s legacy, financial resources, and institutional knowledge back ZNEXT. It aims to scale innovation and create lasting societal value. Lavezzi leads this next chapter with a clear goal. They want to develop world-class ventures that empower people to keep evolving. Zanichelli has done this for over a century and a half.
