Milan, 26 May 2026
100 Women in Finance Milan, in collaboration with Withers, hosted an evening discussion focused on growth capital.
How do high-growth companies navigate the capital landscape at different stages of growth? What drives the choice between equity and debt — and what does a truly successful partnership between a founder and their capital provider look like?
These were the questions at the heart of a lively panel discussion bringing together leading voices from across the private markets and legal advisory worlds.
Ten years ago, the path for a high-growth company seeking capital was largely predictable: raise equity, dilute, and repeat. Today, the picture is far more nuanced. Private debt and venture capital have emerged as increasingly complementary — rather than competing — forces, and the most sophisticated founders and investors are learning to deploy both strategically across the growth journey.
The discussion spanned the full capital lifecycle, from early-stage funding decisions through to later-stage growth financing, and explored how the relationship between founders and their capital providers has evolved alongside the market itself.
A sincere thank you to our panellists: Andrei Boca, CEO and Co-Founder, Vibiz, Andrea Gennarini, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, 2100 Ventures, Modesta Rodriguez-Acosta, Principal, Atempo Growth, and Giorgio Tinacci, CEO & Founder, Casavo, and moderator Giorgia Pozzoli, Senior Investor Relations & Business Development, DECALIA. Thanks also to Withers for generously hosting the evening.
