One of the key signs that a tech ecosystem is maturing is when experienced entrepreneurs exit one company and create another on home turf. Serial founders are nearly twice as likely to succeed in their second venture as first-timers, and they raise larger funding rounds. They’re also a boost for the local economy and investors say the value of their “human capital” — giving young talent examples to look up to — is crucial.

The trend has been a catalyst for the growth of the French and German ecosystems in the past few years — and now it’s finally coming to Italy.  During the pandemic, several experienced Italian startup operators and founders who cut their teeth in Silicon Valley and London were lured back by their home country’s siren call.