Pronto Ventures | Backing Founders with Global Ambition

Our Mission

We bridge the gap
and we back you all the way.

Pronto Ventures is a Torino-based venture platform backing ambitious founders and connecting startup ecosystems across Europe. Drawing on years of experience building companies, investing and running international accelerator programs, we combine hands-on founder support with a global network of mentors, operators, investors and corporate partners.

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Companies our team supported between 2020 and 2026, through the accelerator programme it ran in Torino

€0M

Follow-on funding raised after working with us

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Successful exits, with more in progress

+0

Countries represented in our founder network

Historical figures relate to accelerator programs previously operated by members of our team, separate from the Pronto Ventures and New Altitude track records. Fundraising figures are based on publicly available information. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

What We Do

Our offering.

Four ways we build the ecosystem, from backing founders directly to growing the next generation of them.

01

Entrepreneurship Academy

10-week Academy for universities to turn students into founders.

Learn more →

02New

Venture Platform

We operate New Altitude – Torino Scaling Platform: €200–400k from New Altitude, hands-on coaching and an open network for a whole year. Far more than a cohort.

Learn more →

03

Innovation Advisory

Helping startups with fundraising and strategy, working with venture capital portfolio companies, and supporting corporates in working with startups.

Learn more →

04

Community Building

TorinoConnect, founder events and an alumni network that keep the ecosystem connected for the long term.

Learn more →

The Programme We Operate

New Altitude
Torino Scaling Platform.

New Altitude is an initiative of the Founding Partners, operated by Pronto Ventures, providing capital and support to ambitious pre-seed and seed startups from Italy and internationally.

Founding Partners

Behind the initiative

New Altitude is an initiative of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center.

New Altitude – Torino Scaling Platform

Selects & invests

Makes the investment decision and invests €200,000–€400,000 per selected startup.

Pronto Ventures

Operates the programme

Manages applications, recommends companies to New Altitude and delivers 12 months of hands-on support.

Scroll down to learn more → Visit the New Altitude website →

Founding Partners

Investment Partner

Based at OGR Torino

New Altitude: Operated by Pronto Ventures

12 months of tailor-made,
hands-on support.

Not another typical accelerator: no fixed cohort, no demo day finish line, and support tailor-made to each company. We're there until your next milestone, whatever that looks like. Our structured approach combines the best from world-leading accelerators, global networks and real experience helping companies reach their next milestone.

01

Capital from New Altitude

Capital of €200–400k.

Selected companies receive investments of between €200,000 and €400,000 from New Altitude, designed to give founders meaningful runway and flexibility from day one. Recommended by Pronto Ventures, selected and invested in by New Altitude.

Indicative investment range for selected startups only. Subject to due diligence, New Altitude's final approval, available capital and signed investment agreements. Funding is not guaranteed.

02

Dedicated Coaching

12 months of hands-on support.

Experienced operators and investors from Pronto Ventures' network, embedded in your journey for the full 12 months. Not part-time advisors. Coaches who are accountable for your progress and reachable when it matters most.

03

Community

Expanding community of founders, mentors and investors.

Direct introductions to corporates, universities, investors and ecosystem partners. Years of relationship building across Turin and Europe, now available to your company from day one.

Learn more about the 12-month journey →

New Altitude: Who We Back

The founders we're
looking for.

You're raising a pre-seed or seed round. You know your customers better than anyone and have early proof they want what you're building. And you're aiming for a company that competes internationally, not just locally. If that's you, get in touch. We read every message, all year round.

Pre-Seed

Launched, validated, accelerating.

You've shipped your first version and validated real demand, whether you're coming out of an accelerator or building on your own, and you're raising your pre-seed round.

Seed

Raising your seed round.

You're raising with other institutional investors and need additional capital and strategic support to reach your next milestone.

Get in touch →

Selection Process and Journey

Fast decisions.
Founder-first.

Founders shouldn't spend months in fundraising limbo. We designed our process for speed and transparency.

No. 01

Apply

A short, honest application. No 50-page business plans. This is Phase 1: we review your submission and let you know whether you've been selected for a Founder Call.

No. 02

Founder Call

Startups that successfully pass Phase 1 will be invited to a call with our team to discuss their vision, team and support needs. No deck required at this stage.

No. 03

Deep Dive

Startups selected after the Founder Call move to Phase 3: one or more deep-dive sessions on product, market and team. We provide honest feedback throughout and let you know whether you'll progress to the next stage.

No. 04

Investment Decision

Startups that pass the Deep Dive are reviewed by our Investment Committee. Those approved are recommended to New Altitude for the final investment decision. We communicate the outcome clearly and explain the reasons if it's a no.

No. 05

12-Month Journey

Capital from New Altitude; coaching, network and community from Pronto Ventures. Until your next milestone, not a demo day.

Learn more →

Each step depends on a positive outcome of the one before: applying starts the process but does not guarantee a call, a deep dive or an investment.

Get in touch →

The Team

The people who've
done it before.

We bring shared experience, founder empathy and a track record of working hands-on with startups.

Martin Olczyk

Founder & CEO

Formerly an investment banker and founder, built four companies, sold one, failed with one, bootstrapped two. Ran accelerators for 8 years in Berlin and Amsterdam, and built the Torino programme from scratch. Invested in +100 startups and worked with +600 entrepreneurs.

Sheila Simon

Sr. Operations Manager

The operational heartbeat of Pronto Ventures across all founder activities. Sheila previously ran several accelerator programs and now leads execution, sourcing coordination, founder onboarding, mentor and investor engagement, and day-to-day startup support.

Emanuele Revelli

Venture Operations Consultant

Joined from LINKS Foundation. Worked on two accelerator programs in Turin. Works alongside founders from day one on financial planning, go-to-market strategy and fundraising preparation.

Lucia Gambuzzi

Ecosystem Lead

Former accelerator Program Manager in Tel Aviv, Oslo and Paris. Architect of the Pronto community. Manages TorinoConnect, the alumni network, founder events and the relationships that outlast every programme cycle.

?

You?

Investment Associate

We're still hiring. If you want to back ambitious founders alongside a team that's done it before, we'd love to hear from you.

Get in touch →

Startups We Worked With

69 companies. 21 countries.
One common thread.

Some of the companies we backed over the years, through the accelerator the team previously ran in Torino, before founding Pronto Ventures.

🇺🇸

Acquired by KiwiBot for $25m

🇺🇸

+$70m raised

🇩🇪

Operating in 90 European cities

🇺🇸

+$30m raised

🇩🇪

+$10m raised

🇮🇹

+€8m raised

🇮🇹

+€4m raised

🇨🇭

+€5m raised

🇮🇹

+$5m raised

🇭🇺

+€4.5m raised

🇵🇹

Acquired by CargoOne

🇳🇱

+€5m raised

Founder Voices

What founders say
when we're not in the room.

Unfiltered. From the founders who've worked with us.

Feeling part of a big family, one of the greatest experiences in my life. It turned all the founders into better founders.

A great leader, supportive and demanding, in the right ratio.

This was by far the most transformative learning experience in our lives.

Great learnings, impressive network, incredible support throughout and after the program.

The entire team was highly engaged. Undoubtedly one of the program's key value propositions.

Mentors & Coaches

Interested in supporting the next
generation of entrepreneurs?

Share what you have learned with ambitious founders from Italy and internationally. Pick the way of helping that fits your time and your expertise: a few hours as a mentor, a structured role as a coach, or simply showing up as a fellow founder.

MentorOne-to-one sessions and office hours on the topics you know best. A few hours per quarter, flexible.

CoachStructured, ongoing coaching of selected New Altitude companies, alongside the Pronto team.

Founder/operatorAre you currently running a startup or working for one? Learn more about how you can contribute.

Become a mentor, coach or founder/operator →

Backing founders with global ambition.

We bridge the gap
and we back you all the way.