Startup Founder 2025-2026
Find your team, develop your idea, get funded, deploy your startup.
This is not your typical job ad, it’s a unique opportunity to meet your future co-founder(s) and build a startup from scratch.
About Us
Vento is a venture capital firm backed by Exor, one of Europe’s leading investment companies, and the team behind Italian Tech Week, one of the continent’s most influential tech events. Over the past three years, we’ve invested in more than 130 startups and built over 30 from the ground up through our Venture Building program.
What is the Vento Venture Building Program?
Our program connects talented individuals, forms strong founding teams, explores new market opportunities, and helps build high-potential startups from the ground up. We’re looking for ambitious, driven people ready to fully commit to the founder journey.
How It Works
- The program is a 6-month, full-time experience starting January 2026 in Turin, designed for those ready to take the leap and build a startup from scratch.
- In the first three months, each selected founder receives a €3,750 grant to focus entirely on team formation, problem exploration, and market validation.
- The first weeks are dedicated to getting to know each other through business case workshops, group activities, and market challenges developed with industry experts.
- Teams of 2–3 people are formed based on complementary skills, motivation, and personal chemistry.
- After team formation, you’ll move through fast-paced, iterative cycles of problem exploration, ideation, implementation, and testing. Speed and iteration are key.
- Each team receives ongoing support: weekly check-ins, vertical and horizontal mentorship, and access to founders and investors through events and informal gatherings.
Investment
After three months, each team pitches to the Vento Investment Committee. If your team and idea are deemed investable, Vento will invest €80,000 for 10% equity. The journey concludes with the Investor Day at Italian Tech Week, where you’ll present your startup to leading funds and angel investors from across Europe.
Who We’re Looking For
We seek talented individuals with drive, clarity of thought, ambition, and execution skills. We’ve selected philosophers, architects, engineers, lawyers, and experienced operators. What matters is your willingness to build and your readiness to go all in.
You don’t need an idea or a team to apply, our structure focuses on people first and their ability to explore new markets and problems.
Key Dates
- Applications open: Now until October 12, 2025
- Bootcamp (in-person): Choose between the first session (November 29–December 3, 2025) or the second session (December 6–10, 2025)
- Program kickoff: January 26, 2026
- Investment Committee: May 2026
- Investor Day: Italian Tech Week, September/October 2026 (dates TBD)
Apply by October 12th, 2025
P.S. We love AI. Just not for this part, let’s keep it real!