~310KOwners aged 70+
Vertigo
Private Equity
Micro private equity for Italy's overlooked succession market.
- Profitable Italian businesses below €5M in revenue
- Stable cash flows and limited institutional competition
- Hands-on ownership and disciplined value creation
The Opportunity
A generational succession gap in Italian small business
Italy has roughly 5 million active businesses, the vast majority of which are micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees. These companies form the backbone of local employment, specialized know-how and regional supply chains.
Sources: ISTAT · Unioncamere-InfoCamere · Industry estimates
Yet many of them are approaching a critical ownership transition. When no family successor or institutional buyer is available, decades of value can disappear even when the underlying business remains healthy.
~310KOwners aged 70+10.7% of all business owners in Italy
~500KWithout a successorNo named heir or buyer identified
1M+Businesses facing successionExpected to transition in the coming years
Sources: ISTAT · Unioncamere-InfoCamere · Industry estimates
Company Snapshot
A focused platform for Italy's succession market
Vertigo Private Equity targets profitable small Italian businesses where founder transition, stable cash flows and operational improvement can create long-term value.
3Portfolio companiesAcquired to date
€8M+Aggregate valuationAcross the portfolio
20Group employeesAcross portfolio companies
~7 yrsAvg. holding periodTarget exit horizon
Selected Transactions
Opening deals under review
A first set of acquisition opportunities currently under review: profitable Italian businesses facing founder succession.
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Why Now
A market segment traditional private equity cannot serve
Traditional private equity is structurally designed for larger transactions. Below €5M in revenue, fixed diligence costs, ticket size and fund economics leave many healthy small businesses without an institutional buyer.
Too large for small businesses
- Fund economics require larger tickets.
- Diligence costs make small deals inefficient.
- Brokered processes focus on bigger targets.
Built below the institutional radar
- Companies below €5M revenue.
- Lean diligence and control acquisitions.
- Value creation and buy-and-build.
Investment Strategy
Four principles that define how we invest
We acquire proven small businesses with stable cash flows, loyal customers and succession challenges, then preserve what works and unlock growth through operational improvement.
Proven operating
history
We acquire businesses with real customers, recurring revenues and know-how built over decades, not speculative forecasts.
Disciplined entry
valuations
Succession complexity and limited buyer competition create pragmatic opportunities overlooked by larger funds.
Platform-first
approach
We aim to acquire a first strong operating business that becomes the base for improvement and future add-ons.
Buy-and-build
growth
Once stabilized, the platform expands through selected acquisitions: more scale, services, geography and exit paths.
Why Invest With Vertigo
Four structural advantages
Proprietary micro-market access
Profitable businesses below €5M revenue, below the institutional private equity radar.
Buy-and-build value creation
Selected add-ons expand geography and capacity, building larger operating groups.
Platform-first acquisitions
A first profitable company becomes the base for growth and management improvement.
Long-term ownership discipline
A 7-10 year target holding period, no forced exit and multiple defined paths to value realization.
Introduction
You receive the PE Strategy, target sectors and acquisition criteria.
Subscription
You subscribe equity directly alongside Vertigo Private Equity.
Company Acquisition
Vertigo acquires a founder-led company below €5M revenue with stable cash flows.
Transition
Vertigo manages the founder handover, preserving customers, staff and local reputation.
Growth & Aggregation
The platform is operationally strengthened, then expanded with selected add-on acquisitions.
Value Realization
Realized through dividends, refinancing or sale, within a 7-10 year holding horizon.
