In this episode, we catch up with Diyala D'Aveni, Head of Vento, an Italian chapter of Exor Ventures. With $520M invested in 76 startups globally, Exor Ventures is focusing on discovering exceptional founders with the ambition to build great companies and backing them from pre-seed to pre-IPO. Diyala is also the organizer of Italian Tech Week, the leading tech conference in Italy that has attracted some of the absolute tech legends such as Brian Chesky, Sam Altman, Doug Leone, Sarah Guo, Mike Volpi and many more.

Diyala talks about her journey in the startup world, her insights on personal growth, the mission of Vento, and the future of the Italian startup ecosystem. The conversation also touches on the importance of community, the challenges faced by founders, and the underrated trends in the Italian tech scene. Diyala shares her experiences from Italian Tech Week, gives a sneak peak about attracting tech legends to come to Turin, and emphasizes the significance of empathy and building strong personal relationships.

Takeaways

1. Don't let your internal biases stop you from fulfilling your full potential.

2. It's all about investing in people first rather than the technology or the idea.

3. Having a global ambition from day one is crucial for founders.

4. Italian startup ecosystem needs deep structural changes to be able to catch up with other European countries.

5. Too many highly talented people in Italy are leaving the country and looking for opportunities elsewhere.

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