Habacus, a student-focused fintech which offers integrated services to students, including sustainable access to student loans, has recently raised $5.21 million ( €5 million) in a new funding round led by P101 SGR S.p.A. Gestore Euveca (P101), a leading player in Italian venture capital with an international focus, with participation from CDP Venture Capital SGR.
Founded in 2017 by Paolo Cuniberti, Habacus provides integrated services for students, including educational guidance, skill certification, and data validation, enabling access to financial resources, housing solutions, and job placement opportunities. The company has partnered with over 1,300 educational institutions, banks, and companies, certifying more than 30,000 students to access services provided by its platform. It aims to stand out as an essential partner for students, leveraging a business model that can blend innovation with sustainability. At the heart of Habacus’ value proposition is the seamless integration of educational guidance, certification of competencies, and validation of information—all critical enablers for student loans.
Speaking on the fundraising, Paolo Cuniberti, Founder and CEO of Habacus, said:
Today’s investment represents a strategic accelerator for Habacus, consolidating its role as a key intermediary between education, finance, and the job market. Through certification, we provide a vital tool to ensure transparency and accountability, fostering efficient allocation of human capital and financial resources. Our goal is to build an integrated ecosystem that supports students’ growth while strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the national economic system.
Habacus has created a comprehensive ecosystem to support students’ personal and professional development. This ecosystem includes housing options and job placement assistance. By 2026, the company aims to sustain a 100,000-student community.
Andrea Di Camillo, Managing Partner at P101, commented:
We are thrilled to support Habacus in this new technological and commercial expansion phase. Habacus is a pioneer in student financing in Italy—a sector with high social impact that remains underdeveloped compared to the US, UK, France, and Germany. Investing in Habacus means supporting the development of this market, the education sector, and, most importantly, human capital and future talent. We firmly believe Habacus’ data-driven and tech-oriented approach will enable more deserving students to access high-quality education and achieve their full potential. We look forward to supporting Habacus on this exciting journey to reach its following significant milestones.
With this funding, the Italian startup will significantly ramp up its technological development, particularly in AI-driven algorithms, to evolve into a proper human-capital intelligence platform. It will also support student growth, education, and career development—key areas that Habacus argues are of interest to both banks and corporate stakeholders.
According to Habacus, the Italian student financing market is rapidly expanding, with €220 million in student loans disbursed in the first nine months of 2024. Italy has enormous growth potential compared to developed markets such as Germany and France. Habacus, as the market leader in student loan disbursement, plays a vital role in providing access to higher education.
