If Giorgio Chiellini’s second footballing life could be American, that in the business world is well rooted in Turin. Here he is based “Sport Horizon”, the fund of which the former Juventus captain is a partner and which is now engaged in a capital increase of up to 7.5 million euros. The focus is on innovative start-ups in the world of sport: from Player Future which organizes digital sports management courses for young people to Ludi Therapeutics which focuses on biotechnologies to improve the treatment of muscle injuries, in addition to contributions to Insuperabili onlus, which opens the football school doors for disabled young people.
And at the top of the company well-known faces of sports management such as Romy Gai, former Juventus marketing director and now Chief Business Officer of Fifa, and Beniamino Savio, founder of Awe Sport who oversaw the masterplan of the ATP Finals in Turin. The helm is in the hands of Dario Montagnese, president and CEO: «We support companies with innovative projects for sport under various profiles – explains the manager – from digital to the engagement of enthusiasts, up to biotechnology. We only look at projects that fall under the UN principles of responsible investment, so activities such as betting do not interest us. And then there is a strong focus on social issues, with donations to Insuperabili Onlus which so far have reached 100,000 euros in support of the inclusion of disabled people in the world of sport ».
Among the investors of the fund there are both private individuals and family offices: «All our promoters – continues Montagnese – come from the sport business and the same goes for the investment committee. I’m the only one on the management team who comes from investment banking. Then we have a pool that helps us to evaluate the opportunities on which to bet ».
For Chiellini, the experience with Sport Horizon also means having started living the business world a few years before a probable future as an executive: “It’s a world that has always fascinated me – says the former captain – Then of course for this guy investment takes time and patience. I really care about the social purpose and respect for a certain ethics that Sport Horizon respects. I like to give my point of view on things I know, a contribution that goes beyond the economic one ».