That is probably the most interesting part of this recognition.
Club degli Investitori has been ranked #7 in the Sifted 100: Southern Europe 2026 leaderboard, which maps the top investors backing high-growth startups across the region.
As the only business angel network included in this position, we see this recognition not only as a result for the Club, but also as a positive signal for the broader angel investing community in Italy and Europe – including the many networks and investors we work with every day to support ambitious founders.
For us, this is not just a ranking. It is a signal.
A signal that organised angel investing is becoming a structural part of the European early-stage ecosystem.
A signal that founders are not only looking for capital, but for people: entrepreneurs, executives, operators and professionals who can open doors, challenge assumptions, share experience and stay close when building gets difficult.
A signal that collaboration among angels, funds, institutions and ecosystem players is not a side activity. It is part of how great companies are built.
As a not-for-profit angel network, Club degli Investitori exists to bring together people who want to back ambitious founders and contribute to the growth of the innovation ecosystem.
Being recognised alongside leading investors in Southern Europe strengthens our conviction that angel investing can play a distinctive role: close to founders, early in the journey, and deeply connected to the real economy.
A special mention goes to the Club-backed companies featured in the Sifted 100: Southern Europe 2026, including Jet HR, TextYess, Serenis, Yoyomove.com, Spacest.com and, apparently, also AIKO Energy — which may have been the extra one we spotted in the ranking ;)
Thank you to Sifted for the recognition and for continuing to map the companies and investors shaping the European startup ecosystem.
You can read the full leaderboard here
