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Relief Announces Investment Round Led by Panakes Partners to Advance Innovative Treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence Pisa, Italy, 5th March, 2025
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Relief Announces Investment Round Led by Panakes Partners to Advance Innovative Treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence
Pisa, Italy, [5th March 2025] – Relief Srl, an innovative Italian MedTech company developing a first-in-class device for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI),
is pleased to announce the successful closing of an investment round. The round was led by Panakes Partners, with participation from Vento by Exor Ventures, the members
of the Club degli Investitori through Simon Fiduciaria represented by the champions Alice Ravizza and Luca Porro, a group of business angels—including internationally recognized urologists—and existing investor Santex.
The funds raised will support the continued development and clinical validation of Relief’s breakthrough technology, accelerating the company’s path towards regulatory activities, clinical validation and market entry, strengthening the team and industrial
development capabilities.
“This investment marks a major milestone for Relief, validating both the strength of our
vision and the disruptive potential of our technology. With the backing of such experienced and strategic investors, who share our mission of transforming the
treatment landscape for stress urinary incontinence, we are well-positioned to accelerate our journey towards clinical validation and market entry” said Gioia Lucarini,
CEO of Relief.
Alessio Beverina, Managing Partner at Panakes Partners, commented: " The UroRelief solution offers a compelling alternative to the current standard of care.
It is an invisible, patient-friendly device that can be easily inserted through a quick, outpatient procedure using standard endoscopic tools and local anesthesia. Proven to
be both effective and safe in a First-In-Human (FIH) trial, it addresses the needs of a large patient population, primarily women, who are eager to find a better solution to
enhance their quality of life."
Arianna Floris, Senior Analyst of Club degli Investitori, stated: "Stress urinary incontinence remains a significant issue with a substantial impact, and
the currently available solutions are often ineffective. Relief’s medical device has the potential to treat all patients, from mild to severe cases. Gioia and the rest of the team
have demonstrated remarkable resilience and the ability to drive forward a project that still has a long and complex development ahead. We are excited to come on board and
support them on their journey, providing the expertise and network of the Club degli Investitori.”
Finally Alessandra Castiglioni, President of Santex spa, a previous investor of Relief announces “Santex, as an early investor, is proud to have supported Relief from its
inception, recognizing the potential of this innovative solution. As experts in adult incontinence care, we continually explore complementary solutions beyond our core
business. We are excited to welcome the new investors, whose expertise and professionalism will play a key role in advancing and accelerating Relief's development
strategy.”
Relief will also be present at Annual European Association of Urology Congress (EAU25) in Madrid on March 22, 2025, where it will showcase its innovative solution to the
international urology community.
About Stress Urinary Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a widespread yet often underdiagnosed condition that affects 166 millions of people worldwide, particularly women and post
prostatectomy male patients. SUI significantly reduces quality of life, leading to social isolation, lower workplace productivity, and sexual dysfunction, while imposing heavy
environmental footprint and financial burden on healthcare systems. Despite its high prevalence, SUI remains a major unmet clinical need, as current treatment options are
often invasive, ineffective, or associated with significant drawbacks.
About Relief
Relief is an Italian MedTech company developing UroRelief, a first-in-class, miniaturized endo-urethral medical device that provides a minimally invasive, fully internal,
completely passive, reversible and customizable solution for treatment of SUI in both men and women. A spin-off of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna and currently incubated
at Polo Tecnologico di Navacchio, the company is dedicated to transforming the treatment of urinary incontinence through disruptive technology and a patient-oriented
approach. Relief’s mission is to provide an innovative and effective therapeutic alternative for patients who currently lack satisfactory treatment options. Learn more
at www.reliefsrl.com.
About Panakes Partners
Panakès Partners is a Venture Capital firm, based in Milan, which invests in the most ambitious companies and teams, developing revolutionary technologies and products in
the field of life sciences aiming to improve the lives of people around the world. Panakès, founded in 2015 by Fabrizio Landi, Alessio Beverina and Diana Saraceni, has 250 million
under management. Learn more at www.panakes.it.
About Vento By Exor Ventures
Vento is Italy’s leading early-stage investment platform, backing Italian founders globally. Backed by Exor, it has invested in 100 ventures globally since 2022.
Committed to helping Italian entrepreneurs succeed on a global stage, Vento combines deep connections with a fast decision process to empower founders to build and scale.
Learn more at www.exor.com.
About Club degli Investitori
The Club degli Investitori is an association of over 400 entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals who support startups and scaleups founded by Italian entrepreneurs
worldwide. An investment through the Club is much more than just capital—it means the involvement of a group of international business angels whose network and
expertise are worth far more than the money itself. The Club has invested over €70 million in more than 70 companies, which have collectively raised over €2 billion and
created more than 6,500 jobs. Learn more at www.clubdeglinvestitori.it.