Italian Crowdfunding Pioneer Brings European Market Expertise to Global Alliance

The Global Equity Crowdfunding Alliance (GECA) is proud to announce that Giancarlo Vergine, Founder and Managing Partner of Over Ventures, has joined our steering committee as a strategic advisor. This appointment represents a pivotal expansion of GECA’s vision to create truly borderless equity investment markets, bringing one of Europe’s most innovative crowdfunding strategists to our mission of regulatory harmonization and market development.

A Pioneer in European Equity Crowdfunding

Giancarlo Vergine stands as one of the most influential figures in European crowdfunding, with a remarkable track record that spans over 14 years in the innovation and venture capital sectors. As the founder of Over Ventures, a boutique strategic consulting and crowdfunding studio serving startups, SMEs, and venture capital operators across Italy, Europe, and the United Kingdom, Giancarlo has fundamentally shaped how early-stage companies access capital.

His expertise is backed by extraordinary numbers: over 200 crowdfunding campaigns managed, helping clients raise more than €100 million collectively through equity crowdfunding campaigns and investments from angels and venture capital firms. This success rate and scale position him as one of Europe’s most accomplished practitioners in the field.

Building Italy’s Crowdfunding Infrastructure

Giancarlo’s professional journey began at a critical moment in European crowdfunding history. In 2016, as platforms like CrowdFundMe and Mamacrowd were launching in Italy, he helped launch some of the country’s first crowdfunding campaigns, working directly with founders to navigate uncharted regulatory waters. This early involvement positioned him at the forefront of Italy’s crowdfunding revolution.

From 2019 to 2022, he served as Head of Dealflow at CrowdFundMe, where he helped the two co-founders launch the platform in 2016 and subsequently managed the evaluation and onboarding of hundreds of startups seeking capital. This role provided him with unparalleled insight into what makes crowdfunding campaigns succeed or fail – knowledge he now applies through Over Ventures to help entrepreneurs optimize their fundraising strategies.

His work has established Italy as the second-largest equity crowdfunding market in Europe, behind only France, with over €30 million raised in 2024 alone and 67 successful campaigns in the first nine months of 2025.

Cross-Border Innovation and European Leadership

Perhaps Giancarlo’s most significant contribution has been his pioneering work in cross-border crowdfunding. Following the implementation of the , he launched and supported some of the first Italian cross-border campaigns, bringing Italian issuers to UK platforms and documenting best practices for platform passporting and investor communications.

This cross-border expertise has allowed him to build strategic partnerships with leading platforms across Europe, including Crowdcube, Seedrs, Mamacrowd, CrowdFundMe, Finnexta, and Doorway. His ability to navigate multiple regulatory frameworks while maintaining high standards for investor protection makes him ideally suited to advance GECA’s mission of harmonizing global crowdfunding standards.

Over Ventures now operates with a truly European footprint, serving clients from seed to Series C stages through their VC Advisory Services and European Crowdfunding Studio, with offices in both Milan and Lecce.

The European Equity Crowdfunding Landscape Initiative

One of Giancarlo’s most impactful contributions to the global crowdfunding ecosystem is the European Equity Crowdfunding Landscape (EECL), a comprehensive pan-European market intelligence initiative providing quarterly updates and annual reports on the state of equity crowdfunding across the continent.

The EECL report has become the authoritative data source for understanding European crowdfunding trends, tracking over 10,000 startups, analyzing more than €3 billion in deals, and providing country-specific snapshots that help platforms, investors, and entrepreneurs make informed decisions.

Key Insights from the EECL 2025 Report

The latest EECL data reveals the remarkable growth and maturation of European crowdfunding:

  • €157 million raised in the first half of 2025 across 202 campaigns, with projections suggesting over €300 million annually (+26% year-over-year)
  • Nearly 40,000 investors participated in equity crowdfunding campaigns across Europe
  • Average round size of €778,000 with a median of €530,000, demonstrating increasingly sophisticated campaigns
  • France leads with over €60 million raised, followed by Italy (€24 million), Netherlands (€18.5 million), Spain (€15 million), and Ireland (€8 million)
  • Life Sciences, Tech (including AI), and Food & Agriculture emerge as the most-financed sectors

The EECL European Roadshow

To complement the research initiative, Giancarlo has organized the EECL European Roadshow, hosting side events at major tech conferences in Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, London, and Amsterdam. These events bring together platforms, founders, and investors to present data, share policy feedback, and foster connections across national boundaries.

Having successfully completed events in Barcelona, Paris, and Berlin, with London and Amsterdam scheduled, the roadshow has become a vital networking forum for the European crowdfunding community. This initiative directly aligns with GECA’s mission to create connected global ecosystems where capital flows freely across borders.

Additionally, Giancarlo has organized two editions of the Crowdfunding Summit in Italy, bringing together Italian players in Rome (2024) and Lecce (2025), establishing these gatherings as essential forums for industry development and collaboration.

Community Funding and Investor Education

A core element of Giancarlo’s philosophy centers on “community funding”- the strategic approach of transforming customers and users into invested shareholders. This model has proven remarkably successful with companies like Revolut, which used crowdfunding to build a deeply loyal investor base before becoming a unicorn.

Through Over Ventures’ Training & Academy, Giancarlo delivers masterclasses for founders and platform teams on ECSP-compliant fundraising, investor relations, and post-funding governance. His educational initiatives recognize that successful crowdfunding requires both sophisticated entrepreneurs who understand the tool and educated investors who appreciate the opportunities and risks.

Best Practices and Strategic Guidance

Giancarlo’s expertise encompasses the complete lifecycle of equity crowdfunding campaigns, including:

  • Campaign Execution: Strategic planning from pre-commitment through closing, ensuring founders achieve optimal results
  • Market Enablement: Helping platforms refine processes, disclosure requirements, and investor-readiness standards under ECSP regulations
  • Ecosystem Partnerships: Building working relationships between platforms, angel groups, and VC funds to blend lead-investor rounds with community funding
  • Platform & Investor Liaison: Facilitating dialogue between platforms and angel syndicates to pilot hybrid rounds and improve issuer education
  • Regulatory Navigation: Guiding companies through complex compliance requirements across multiple European jurisdictions

Recognition and Thought Leadership

Giancarlo’s influence extends well beyond his direct client work. He has been recognized as one of the Top 20 VC Influencers on LinkedIn in Italy in 2025, ranking third in a field that includes prominent venture capitalists and industry leaders. This recognition reflects his consistent thought leadership and his ability to articulate complex crowdfunding concepts to diverse audiences.

His work has been featured in major Italian business publications, and he has been profiled as part of success stories showcasing how crowdfunding expertise developed in smaller cities like Galatina can achieve international impact. The article “Over Ventures, un’idea vincente di Giancarlo e Alberto Vergine, galatinesi” highlighted how he and his brother Alberto built a company that now operates across European capitals while maintaining roots in their hometown.

He has also served as a mentor for leading international accelerators and incubators, including Startup Wise Guys and Plug and Play, sharing his expertise with the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Strategic Value for GECA’s Global Mission

Giancarlo’s appointment to GECA’s steering committee comes at a crucial moment as the organization works to establish harmonized standards and facilitate cross-border investment flows. His experience in building Europe’s second-largest crowdfunding market while maintaining high standards for investor protection provides a proven blueprint for GECA’s global ambitions.

Key Contributions to GECA

Regulatory Harmonization Expertise: Having successfully navigated the implementation of ECSP regulations across multiple European markets, Giancarlo understands both the challenges and opportunities of creating unified regulatory frameworks that work across diverse jurisdictions.

Cross-Border Implementation: His pioneering work in launching Italian cross-border campaigns provides practical insights into overcoming the operational challenges of international crowdfunding, from investor communications to compliance documentation.

Data-Driven Market Intelligence: Through the EECL initiative, Giancarlo has demonstrated the power of comprehensive data collection and analysis in driving industry development, a capability that will prove invaluable for GECA’s global mapping efforts.

Ecosystem Building: His success in fostering collaboration among platforms, investors, and entrepreneurs shows how coordinated industry efforts can accelerate market growth while maintaining quality standards.

Founder and Investor Education: His commitment to training and education addresses one of crowdfunding’s fundamental challenges – ensuring all participants understand both opportunities and risks.

Looking Forward: Building Global Infrastructure

“I’m honored to join GECA’s steering committee during this transformative period for global equity crowdfunding,” Giancarlo commented. “Throughout my career, I’ve seen how innovative financing models can unlock entrepreneurial potential while creating sustainable economic development. GECA’s vision for borderless investment aligns perfectly with our work to redirect capital toward productive enterprises that drive continental growth.”

Andrew Field, Head of GECA’s steering committee, noted: “Giancarlo brings exactly the type of innovative thinking and market-building expertise that GECA needs to advance our global vision. His success in building one of Europe’s most dynamic crowdfunding markets while maintaining high standards for investor protection provides a proven model for how equity crowdfunding can transcend traditional geographic boundaries.”

A Vision for Tomorrow

As GECA continues building its global network, Giancarlo’s expertise in European market dynamics, regulatory navigation, and ecosystem development will prove essential. His proven ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders while advancing innovation aligns perfectly with GECA’s approach to creating efficient, transparent global investment markets.

His current initiatives – including publishing a book on equity crowdfunding and launching a podcast featuring industry pioneers – demonstrate his ongoing commitment to advancing the field and sharing knowledge across borders. These projects will complement GECA’s educational mission and help build the informed global investor base necessary for successful international crowdfunding.

A Perfect Alignment

With Giancarlo Vergine’s addition to our steering committee, GECA gains not just expertise but also proven methodology for building sustainable crowdfunding ecosystems that serve entrepreneurs, investors, and economic development simultaneously. His track record demonstrates that it is possible to create vibrant markets that are both innovative and responsibly regulated – exactly the balance GECA seeks to achieve globally.

As we welcome Giancarlo to our leadership team, we’re reminded that the path to borderless equity crowdfunding requires more than just regulatory innovation – it demands the practical wisdom, relationship-building skills, and market-development expertise that only come from years of hands-on experience building real markets that serve real entrepreneurs.

The appointment of Giancarlo Vergine signals that GECA is not just planning for the future of global crowdfunding – we’re building it with the expertise and institutional relationships necessary to succeed.

About GECA

The Global Equity Crowdfunding Alliance (GECA) is an international organization dedicated to advancing regulatory harmonization, market development, and best practices in equity crowdfunding worldwide. Through our steering committee and global network of supporters, we work to create truly borderless investment opportunities that benefit entrepreneurs, investors, and economies around the world.

Learn more at thegeca.org

Contact Information

For media inquiries about GECA’s steering committee appointments and global initiatives, please contact the steering committee at: contact@thegeca.org

Want to join GECA’s mission? Visit thegeca.org/join to learn about supporter opportunities for platforms, service providers, and industry stakeholders.