Eni and CDP Venture Capital invest €550,000 in EXE Engineering to scale carbon offsetting and waste-to-energy solutions across Africa and Europe.
Eni, in partnership with CDP Venture Capital, has committed an investment of €550,000 in EXE Engineering, a fast-growing startup focused on innovative carbon offsetting and environmental sustainability solutions, particularly across Africa. Alongside the funding, the companies have announced a strategic collaboration designed to support the development and deployment of advanced technologies aimed at reducing emissions and enhancing waste valorisation. This financial backing is expected to significantly accelerate EXE Engineering’s growth roadmap, enabling the company to scale its existing initiatives while expanding into new operational and geographic markets, including Europe and additional regions of Africa.
The investment round was spearheaded by Zero and Eni Next, Eni’s corporate venture capital arm dedicated to identifying and supporting startups with strong technological innovation and industrial scalability. Eni Next plays a key role in bridging early-stage innovation with large-scale industrial applications, aligning entrepreneurial solutions with Eni’s long-term energy transition and decarbonisation objectives.
Zero operates as part of CDP Venture Capital’s National Accelerator Network, a nationwide initiative developed in collaboration with Zest and Elis. The programme is designed to nurture high-potential startups by combining structured acceleration, access to industry expertise, and opportunities for collaboration with leading corporate partners. Within this framework, Eni participates as the main corporate partner through Joule, its school of entrepreneurship, alongside other companies active in the energy and sustainability ecosystem.
EXE Engineering participated in the Zero acceleration programme during the 2024–2025 cycle, during which it worked closely with Eni to develop a Proof of Concept pilot project. This collaboration laid the foundation for a subsequent cooperation agreement in Africa, focused on evaluating the feasibility, development, and implementation of innovative solutions for emissions reduction and waste recovery. The agreement reflects a shared commitment to deploying technologies that can deliver both environmental and economic value in challenging contexts.
Commenting on the transaction, Stefano Molino, Head of the Accelerators Fund at CDP Venture Capital, highlighted the effectiveness of the National Accelerator Network model in transforming innovation into tangible industrial opportunities. He noted that through Zero, EXE Engineering benefited from a structured path that combined entrepreneurial development, technological validation, and direct collaboration with a major industrial partner such as Eni. The entry of Eni Next as an investor, he added, further enhances the strategic and industrial relevance of the deal.
Clara Andreoletti, CEO of Eni Next, emphasised the importance of the acceleration journey in enabling the investment. She explained that the Zero programme supported not only the startup’s industrial and managerial growth, but also facilitated a structured experimentation process that helped align strategic priorities and clarify EXE Engineering’s medium- to long-term development potential. According to Andreoletti, the transaction validates Eni’s integrated open-innovation model, which closely connects acceleration initiatives with corporate venture capital activities.
During 2025, EXE Engineering also gained significant recognition for its innovation and impact. The startup was named among the “Top 100 Italian Startups” by Forbes and Ventive and received the special mention “Eni Joule for Entrepreneurship” as part of the prestigious Eni Award. The award ceremony took place at the Quirinale Palace, where the honour was presented by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
Gianni Cordaro, CEO and Founder of EXE Engineering, described the partnership with Eni as a major milestone for the company. He explained that the startup is dedicated to developing advanced technologies to close the waste cycle, with a particular focus on capturing and utilising biogas from landfills. These solutions, he noted, deliver measurable environmental benefits while also generating strong economic returns. Cordaro expressed pride in collaborating with Eni and other partners as EXE Engineering continues its growth journey.
Elena Martelli, Portfolio Manager at Zest, also welcomed the achievement, describing it as the beginning of a long-term collaboration with a positive environmental impact. She highlighted how, during the Zero acceleration programme, the EXE Engineering team rapidly strengthened its organisational structure and adopted a scalable mindset, bringing innovation and execution capabilities to the landfill sector—an often overlooked yet critical area for the ecological transition. She concluded by noting that EXE Engineering demonstrates how innovation, energy, and efficiency can emerge even from sectors traditionally seen as being “at the end of the line.”
Eni and CDP Venture Capital are related parties, and both companies confirmed that the transaction was conducted in accordance with their respective internal procedures.
