Viaemilia Investments punta sulla crescita delle Pmi della Motor Valley

Viaemilia Investments, a private capital holding company, aims to promote growth in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that fuel the technology of the Motor Valley. The company, which has already raised €50 million, aims to surpass the €100 million mark in the coming years. Its debut investment is a €10 million stake in Bercella, a Parmesan specialist in carbon fiber structures for motorsport and aerospace.

Viaemilia Investments is 70% owned by Cherry Bay Capital and 30% by Dallara. The company will provide capital, financial expertise, and governance, while Dallara will contribute industrial relations and expertise. Mattia Rossi, CEO of Cherry Bay Capital and Viaemilia Investments, emphasized that the project is open to other protagonists of the Motor Valley district, with rumors pointing to Ferrari and Pagani as potential participants.

The choice of the hunting ground is not arbitrary, as a Nomisma study for Motor Valley Association shows that the six leading companies employ around 15,000 direct suppliers and 647,000 workers, with exports reaching 52%. In 2024, the sector produced over 10.5 billion euros in revenue, with 43% of SMEs still led by first or second-generation founders.

Viaemilia's goal in the short term is to complete a few operations per year, targeting companies with sales up to €50 million, good profitability, and leadership positions in niches such as composites, critical components, powertrain, software, and artificial intelligence. The capital will be used for acquisitions, internationalization, and entering markets such as aerospace, healthcare, energy, and nautical.

The value sought lies in the central part of the supply chain, not in large brands or raw materials, according to Rossi, who brings experience from Poggipolini. The first test run is Bercella, founded in 1996 in Varano de' Melegari by Franco Bercella, a constructor of an ultralight composite. Today, with over 180 employees, Bercella has produced over 100,000 components and 2,000 molds for competitions, from IndyCar to Le Mans, and also works for space, contributing to Rosetta, ExoMars, and the Iridium constellation.

In 2026, the Italian Space Agency will grant Viaemilia a program worth around €3.5 million for optical benches made of composites. This operation assigns Viaemilia 30% of the capital, while the family retains 70%. Of the €10 million invested, €8 million will go directly to the company through a capital increase and €2 million for purchasing existing shares.

Bercella closed 2025 with roughly €11 million in revenue and a structural operating margin of 20%. It expects revenue growth of 50% this year and aims to triple its key economic indicators in five years. It also has €35 million in orders and a new 3,000 square meter facility. Viaemilia has set its sights on the United States to continue growing and making strategic acquisitions.

"The true value is systemic dimension: not supporting a single company, but strengthening the future competitiveness of the entire Motor Valley," said Andrea Pontremoli, CEO of Dallara. Viaemilia will also collaborate with the Motor Valley accelerator to connect startups and mature companies. The bet is to transform a heritage of industrial expertise into a platform for growth.