Koinos Capital SGR has appointed Francesco Corea as its new Partner and Chief Technology Officer, according to an announcement from the independent multi-strategy investment firm on September 17, 2026. Corea returns to Italy following an international career spanning Europe and the United States, bringing over a decade of experience across academia and venture capital to support the firm’s private equity and venture capital strategies.
International Background in Venture Capital and Data Science
Before joining Koinos Capital SGR, Corea built an extensive resume working with technology funds and investment firms. His career began at Anthemis Group as an Investment Fellow before he served as Head of Data and Research at Balderton Capital in London from 2019 to 2022.
Corea subsequently relocated to the United States, holding the position of Director of Data Science at Greycroft until 2024, where he managed development operations, machine learning initiatives, and the launch of a climate-focused fund. In 2025, he worked as Fractional Head of Data at Kleiner Perkins in Silicon Valley, followed by a role as Fractional Head of Tech, Data, and AI at Owl Ventures, a global EdTech investment firm.
Academically, Corea earned a degree and a Ph.D. in Economics from LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, alongside a master's degree in finance from the Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon. At Nova, he also served as an adjunct assistant professor of machine learning for finance. He has authored five books and more than 20 academic papers.
Strategic Impact on Private Equity and Venture Capital
The appointment aligns with Koinos Capital SGR’s ongoing expansion. Within private equity, the firm focuses heavily on the services sector, employing a buy-and-build approach that utilizes technology and digitalization to develop the Italian mid-market. In venture capital, the firm participates in the Italian Founders Fund, an initiative created by founders to bolster the national digital and innovation ecosystem.
Marco Morgese, CEO of Koinos Capital SGR, stated in the company release that Corea’s arrival bolsters the team’s technological capabilities as data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning grow increasingly vital to investment strategies. Morgese emphasized the significance of bringing an experienced talent back to Italy from London and Silicon Valley to support portfolio companies and local entrepreneurial development.
Francesco Corea noted that his return to Italy highlights the potential for data and artificial intelligence to act as growth levers for Italian small and medium-sized enterprises. He aims to help position Koinos Capital SGR as a benchmark for technology and innovation within the domestic investment landscape.
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