Milan-Based Student Ecosystem Habacus Secures €5 Million for Platform Expansion
Habacus, a student-focused service ecosystem headquartered in Milan, has raised €5 million in a fresh funding round aimed at bolstering its AI capabilities and expanding its range of services. The investment round was led by P101 SGR S.p.A. Gestore Euveca (P101), a prominent player in the Italian venture capital scene, with additional participation from CDP Venture Capital SGR.

Habacus, a student-focused service ecosystem headquartered in Milan, has raised €5 million in a fresh funding round aimed at bolstering its AI capabilities and expanding its range of services. The investment round was led by P101 SGR S.p.A. Gestore Euveca (P101), a prominent player in the Italian venture capital scene, with additional participation from CDP Venture Capital SGR.
According to Paolo Cuniberti, the founder and CEO of Habacus, this funding will serve as a crucial step in strengthening the company’s position as a mediator between the education, finance, and employment sectors. He emphasized that, “Today’s investment represents a strategic accelerator for Habacus, consolidating its role as a key intermediary between education, finance, and the job market. Through certification, we provide a vital tool to ensure transparency and accountability, fostering efficient allocation of human capital and financial resources.”
Founded in 2017, Habacus focuses on offering integrated services to students, such as educational guidance, skill certification, and data validation. The platform connects students with financial resources, housing solutions, and job placement opportunities. To date, Habacus has partnered with more than 1,300 institutions, banks, and companies, certifying over 30,000 students who have accessed services through the platform.
Expanding AI-Powered Capabilities
With this latest round of funding, Habacus plans to further develop its AI-driven algorithms to transition into a full-fledged human capital intelligence platform. This platform is expected to integrate educational guidance, competency certification, and data validation more seamlessly, enabling more efficient student loan processes. Additionally, the company aims to enhance its offerings with housing and career development solutions, creating a holistic support system for students.
The lead investor, P101, committed €4 million through its Programma 103 and Azimut Eltif Venture Capital P103 funds. This marks the 11th investment made by Programma 103 in its first two years of operation. The investment aligns with P101’s mission to back innovative companies with high growth potential and strong social impact, as outlined in the Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) standards.
CDP Venture Capital SGR, which participated with a €1 million investment, also converted a previous participative financial instrument of equal value from 2022 to further its commitment to Habacus’ growth.
Impact on Italy’s Growing Student Loan Market
As the market leader in Italy’s student financing sector, Habacus is playing a pivotal role in addressing the country's expanding demand for education funding. The Italian student loan market disbursed €220 million in the first nine months of 2024, demonstrating rapid growth potential compared to more developed markets like Germany and France. By facilitating access to higher education, Habacus has significantly reduced dropout rates among its student community. Nationally, 17% of students fail to complete their first year, whereas Habacus-supported students report a dramatically lower rate of 0.8%.
Speaking on the significance of the investment, Andrea Di Camillo, Managing Partner at P101, said, “Habacus is a pioneer in student financing in Italy—a sector with high social impact that remains underdeveloped compared to the US, UK, France, and Germany. Investing in Habacus means supporting the development of this market, the edutech sector, and, most importantly, human capital and future talent.”
Similarly, Caterina Siclari, Senior Partner at CDP Venture Capital and Head of the Startup Relaunch Fund, remarked, “Making academic education more accessible and inclusive has a transformative impact on the personal and professional development of thousands of students. Habacus has already demonstrated its ability to forge successful partnerships with financial institutions, and we’re confident in its potential for future growth.”
With its vision set on supporting a community of 100,000 students by 2026, Habacus is now well-positioned to leverage technology and innovation to build an integrated, student-centered ecosystem. This funding marks a key milestone in the company’s journey to transform education accessibility and student financing in Italy.