Companies backed by funds move faster: total assets +82% versus +14% for non-backed firms

• Record growth after fund entry. Companies backed by private equity record an average increase in total assets of 82%, compared with 14% for non-backed companies. Revenues grow by 25% and employment by 17.6% in the two years following the investment. • Private equity as a driver of sustainable development. The Mediobanca–LIUC–AIFI study shows that risk capital accelerates the real growth of Italian mid-caps, improving governance, investment capacity, and financial strength, without excessive reliance on leverage (average Net Debt/EBITDA of 2.4x). • A cautious but effective Italian model. Funds operate as industrial partners, not just financial ones, fostering innovation, internationalization, and generational transitions. Over twenty years, private equity has helped transform the national industrial fabric, supporting companies’ competitiveness in global markets.