Investor Advisor with Andréa Serfati

Meet our featured investor, Andréa Serfati. Since January 2025, he has been part of the investment team at Grey Silo Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Cereal Docks, Italy’s largest agribusiness group. He focuses on pan-European B2B startups from pre-seed to Series A, with a strong emphasis on FoodTech and AgriTech. His path into venture capital was far from linear: after graduating from law school, he began his career at a boutique wealth management firm, where he gained exposure to complex financial instruments.

Seeking a different long-term path, he pursued a Master in Management in Madrid and shortly after joined Grey Silo in Milan. He is particularly motivated by the opportunity to engage with ambitious founders and investors, deepen his understanding of new markets and technologies, and contribute to investments that drive meaningful innovation. Outside of work, he is always on the lookout for a great pastry or enjoying a good dinner with friends.

1. Tell us more about yourself 

Since January 2025, I’m part of the investment team at Grey Silo Ventures, the CVC of Cereal Docks, Italy's largest agribusiness. We invest in pan-European B2B startups from pre-seed to Series A, with a specific focus on FoodTech and AgriTech. My journey into VC was far from straightforward: after law school, I began working for a boutique wealth management firm, where I got exposed to complex financial instruments. I didn’t see myself doing this my entire life, so I ultimately decided to pursue a Master in Management in Madrid and ended up joining Grey Silo in Milan right after. Beyond my professional endeavors, you can find me on a quest for a pastry or sharing a good dinner with my friends.

2. Which sections of the pitch deck do you pay more attention to? 

As a rule of thumb, I review the entire deck before the first call to make the interaction more interesting for both parties. This is helpful in assessing whether the founders understand what drives the decision-making process in venture. We frequently receive decks that contain information that matters less from our perspective, and it's generally not a good sign when the founders aren't able to highlight the key elements that makes their startup standout. That said, I pay closest attention to the sections relevant to the solution (is it a solution in search of a problem, or are you solving a real problem?), the team (is there complementary skills?), the market (how big is it and how did you get to that number?) and the competition (do you know who your competitors are and what makes you different?). 

3.What is the most interesting aspect of your job?

One thing I repeat over and over to people asking me about my job is how privileged I feel about interacting with extremely driven and ambitious people (founders and investors alike). I especially like it when these discussions fuel a desire to further my understanding of a specific market or technology - and it’s extremely fulfilling when it leads to an investment. 

4. Do you have any piece of advice for startups that are trying to navigate the current environment and present themselves?

Favor building trust over creating artificial FOMO.