Raffaele Giovine
Chairman at italist.com
United States
Overview
Work Experience
Founder and Investor partner
2022 - Current
Plus9 is a venture vehicle I created to identify and scale early-stage patents emerging from Italy’s top research centers. Our mission is to transform deep-tech innovation into high-growth, globally scalable companies—bridging scientific excellence and entrepreneurial execution. We’ve assembled some of the most experienced Italian talents in California, combining academic strength and operational depth to lead Plus9’s investment strategy. Our founding team has previously created and invested in companies that have achieved: – $2.2B+ in combined exits – $1.2B+ in capital raised – 255+ years of collective operating experience The portfolio spans advanced tech, materials science, energy, and bio-innovation, with a clear focus on turning IP into impact.
We invest in exceptional startups
Ceo
2025
The Luxe Bridge created to support luxury brands in navigating the shift toward AI-driven digital transformation, market expansion, and consumer engagement in the U.S. and beyond. As CEO, I work directly with founders, CMOs, and brand executives to: – Redesign digital strategies and evaluate AI’s impact on business operations – Expand into the U.S. market across e-commerce, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels – Activate new growth levers, from data-driven marketing to creator economy integrations – Help brands future-proof their presence by aligning innovation with identity We operate at the intersection of luxury, tech, and culture, offering tailored advisory to maximize long-term brand equity in a fast-changing landscape. Our clients range from established European maisons to next-gen designers looking to scale globally.
Investor and Advisor
2022
BitBrand is an innovative platform using blockchain to unlock the full value of high-end IP through mobile-native personalization and monetization. The company enables luxury brands, creators, and collectible IP owners to turn personalization into a scalable, secure digital business model. I joined early as co-founder, investor, and strategic advisor—supporting product vision, market positioning, and fundraising. The company is backed by prominent investors from Silicon Valley and internationally.
Founder Ceo
2015 - 2024
(EXIT 2024) Founded Italist from my venture studio in Milan and brought it to 500 Startups in Silicon Valley (Batch 11). Built the team in the U.S., raised $2.2M in total funding, and scaled the business to over $100M in GMV with a lean, capital-efficient model. Italist became one of the largest global marketplaces for luxury fashion: – Over 300 partner boutiques across Europe – 2,500 brands, including 70 brand partnerships – More than $1.5B in aggregated inventory per season Led all strategic areas: go-to-market, fundraising, operations, commercial partnerships, and M&A. Executed the full exit process, culminating in the sale to ICG (Canada) at the end of 2024. Pioneered a cross-border model with dynamic pricing and no physical stock, redefining how consumers access Italian luxury globally.
Angel Squad
2021 - 2022
Joined Angel Squad by Hustle Fund to gain structured exposure to early-stage investing in Silicon Valley. The program offered direct access to deal flow, founder pitches, and partner discussions—providing real insight into how top-tier VCs think, evaluate, and support startups at pre-seed and seed stages. This experience helped refine my investment lens across multiple verticals and geographies, and expanded my network in the U.S. early-stage ecosystem. Hustle Fund’s approach—“We back hilariously early founders”—is fast, founder-friendly, and uniquely transparent, making it a standout model in the VC world. More on Angel Squad: https://hustlefund.vc/angel-squad
Founder Ceo
2010 - 2022
Venture Studio– Pioneering Media-for-Equity Venture Studio 🚀 One of the first Media-for-Equity venture studio, driving high-growth startups with strategic media exposure. Exceptional track record of exits & resilience: • italist.com – (EXIT 2025) Global luxury marketplace • SoSTariffe.it (EXIT 2020) – Leading comparison platform • Mybeautybox.it – Majority stake acquired by RCS • Coverzen.it – Raised Series A with Vertis Proven model scaling digital ventures through capital efficiency & media amplification.
Founder Batch11
2014 - 2015
Selected as founder of Italist for Batch 11 of 500 Startups, one of the most competitive early-stage accelerator programs globally. Joined a cohort of 30 international startups to refine go-to-market strategy, product execution, and fundraising readiness directly in Silicon Valley. The program supported Italist’s early U.S. expansion and was instrumental in laying the groundwork for a cross-border, capital-efficient marketplace model—leading to $100M+ GMV and a full exit in 2024. Part of a network that includes companies like Twilio, Credit Karma, Canva, and Talkdesk. #500STRONG #Italist #GlobalStartups #MarketplaceStrategy #FounderTrack
500 Global is a multi-stage venture capital firm that invests in founders building fast-growing technology companies.
Raised $2,271,999.00 from Abu Dhabi Financial Group.
Founder Ceo
2001 - 2009
(acquired by Investindustrial in 2007) Bootstrapped and scaled Zero9 into one of Europe’s first mobile content and digital service pioneers. Grew to over $100M, 100 employees across 12 countries, building a network of tier-one telecom and media partners. Zero9 launched some of the earliest monetizable mobile services for global brands and broadcasters. Grew the business with no outside capital and partnered with global leaders such as Nokia, TIM, H3G, Vivo, Oi, and FC Barcelona. The company became a reference point in Italy’s digital innovation wave and was acquired by Investindustrial in one of the largest consumer tech exits of the time. #MobileContent #WirelessInnovation #BootstrappedExit #TechPioneer #ConsumerTech
Executive Director business development e-business
1999 - 2000
Led the launch of Fininvest’s online and mobile operations across Spain and Italy, working across key group properties including Telecinco, Mondadori, and AC Milan. Pioneered the first mobile and web-based format for Big Brother (Grande Fraello), turning it into one of Europe’s most successful multimedia case studies of the early 2000s, with over 2 million paid interactions on mobile devices in the first two weeks. Developed strategic partnerships, digital monetization models, and early interactive content formats, helping transform traditional broadcasting assets into digitally enabled businesses.
Consultant
1997 - 1999
Worked within Bain’s Telecom, Media & Technology practice, advising leading media and industrial groups on strategic growth, digital innovation, and operational restructuring. Led initiatives in streaming media, digital rights management, and infrastructure optimization for Italy’s top broadcaster. Supported major corporations in launching their first Internet strategies, including market analysis, competitive benchmarking (U.S. best practices), and digital business planning. Recognized for consistently delivering high-impact results on complex and transformational projects.
Education
Business Administration
1990 - 1995
Business administration
1994 - 1994