Aluna Partners at the UK-Italy Business & Investment Forum 2026

Stefano Sciacca, Founding Partner of Aluna Partners, participated as a panelist at the UK-Italy Business & Investment Forum 2026, held on 18 June at Casa Italia London and organised by the Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy to the United Kingdom.

The forum brought together senior figures from the investment, government, and business communities to explore capital deployment into Italy, international scaling strategies, and the practical pathways for companies looking to enter and grow in the Italian market.

At Aluna Partners, we believe supporting the UK-Italy Business Investment Forum is a key gateway to fostering business and economic development. Our active investment activities provide us with deep market knowledge and critical analysis, helping investors navigate their portfolio decisions with confidence.

Stefano joined Session 1, titled “Where Global Investors Are Deploying Capital in Italy,” alongside partners from Investindustrial, iCON Infrastructure, and Feel Venture, with the session moderated by Aster Thackery, Investment Director at the Italian Trade Agency. The panel examined where institutional and private capital is being directed across Italian markets, and what the current landscape means for businesses and investors on both sides of the relationship.

Stefano’s contribution to the discussion was subsequently featured in Il Sole 24 Ore, where he summarized the opportunity plainly: private credit represents approximately 1% of capital allocation today, making it a sector with significant room to grow. He pointed to the scale of opportunity in financing Italian SMEs, and noted that improved political stability has reduced country risk, making Italy a more attractive destination for international capital.

Italy is Europe’s second largest manufacturing economy, with a dense ecosystem of family-run businesses historically reliant on bank lending. That dynamic is shifting, and private credit has a meaningful role to play in what comes next. Aluna Partners remains committed to contributing to that conversation from London and to designing credit solutions with Italian clients’ long-term success in mind.

About the Italian Trade Agency (ITA)

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) is the Italian government agency responsible for promoting foreign trade and supporting the internationalization of Italian businesses. Established in 1926 and operating under the Ministry for Economic Development, ITA provides information, assistance, consulting, promotion, and training to Italian small and medium-sized businesses seeking to grow in global markets. With offices in over 70 countries, ITA works in close coordination with Italy’s diplomatic and consular network to facilitate cross-border commercial relationships and attract foreign direct investment into Italy. In the United Kingdom, the ITA London office has a long-standing presence promoting bilateral economic ties and supporting both Italian companies expanding into the UK market and international investors seeking opportunities in Italy.

About Aluna Partners

Aluna Partners is a London-based firm providing integrated advisory, capital, and investment management solutions designed to support businesses at every stage of growth. The firm specializes in credit solutions, delivering flexible and scalable financing through Asset-Backed Finance and Trade Finance. Since inception, Aluna originated over US $150M in Asset-Backed Facilities. Aluna works closely with originators, SMEs, and lenders to structure securitized products, working capital facilities, and supply chain finance solutions that are tailored to operational requirements and aligned with long-term strategic objectives.

Through its investment management services, Aluna applies a disciplined, research-led approach built around a three-dimensional credit strategy: Preserve, Perform, Protect, aimed at generating resilient, all-weather returns. The firm focuses on private credit, constructing portfolios concentrated in asset-backed finance, and trade receivables. By partnering with trusted originators and institutional counterparties, Aluna emphasizes clarity, consistency, and long-term alignment, with a blend of performance-driven execution and responsible risk management.

© Aluna Partners Ltd, and APG Aluna Partners Group AG 2026. All rights reserved.

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