Brembo, a global developer of braking systems, has just launched Brembo Ventures. This new venture capital unit aims to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for the mobility of tomorrow.
Brembo Ventures will strategically invest at a global level in the best technology startups that can deliver value, both in terms of the product and the production process. It will focus on startups that are active in artificial intelligence, big data, sensors, mechatronics, energy efficiency and sustainability, with the goal of finding solutions that can be applied in the automotive sector.
Brembo Ventures also will coordinate relations with the startups where Brembo is a shareholder. According to Brembo, this will help to create an ecosystem capable of supporting its technical evolution and monitoring financial performance, as well as managing investments in venture capital funds and partnerships with technological incubators.
“Brembo Ventures is the tool to attract and give power to innovators; those who explore technological frontiers,” said Roberto Grazioli, Brembo’s chief business development officer. “Our strategy is to invest in startups whom we can work with side-by-side to accelerate the development of new solutions. With Brembo Ventures, we are even more structured to seize the market opportunities that can contribute to our goal of redefining the future of braking systems and mobility for the benefit of our customers.”
The most recent operation of Brembo Ventures is the acquisition, as lead investor, of 6.8% of the capital of PhotonPath, a deep tech company founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Politecnico di Milano which develops integrated photonics-based products. With PhotonPath, Brembo will be able to accelerate the development of new solutions for the digitalization of braking systems, a path already undertaken with the launch of the new SENSIFY intelligent braking system.
The investment in PhotonPath compliments Brembo’s 2020 investment in Infibra Technologies, a company founded in 2014 as a spin-off of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. Infibra Technologies develops and produces integrated photonic systems. Brembo holds a 20% stake in the company, which also now enters the Brembo Ventures portfolio.
