Massimiliano Sulpizi (Max) is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor with a strong focus on early-stage startups, particularly in the pre-seed and seed phases. Over the past 20 years, he has built and scaled multiple businesses, driven by his passion for helping others succeed. As the founder of EquityMatch.co, he has created a platform that facilitates startup funding and networking while educating founders about the venture capital ecosystem. His work continues to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and investors, ensuring that innovative ideas receive the support they need to thrive.
Could you elaborate on the nature of your business, highlighting its purpose and the ways it benefits people?
EquityMatch.co is the all-in-one educational, social, and media fundraising platform designed to empower startup founders around the globe. Our vision is to facilitate networking and matchmaking between startup founders, investors, mentors, and other key players in the startup ecosystem, such as advisors, established entrepreneurs, C-level executives, university students, and developers.
A startup can search for funding, create a profile showcasing their information, results, and data, and broadcast their thoughts, ideas, and plans through video streaming—all within their platform profile. Not only do we help founders secure funding, but our rich content also helps them gain a deeper understanding of the venture capital ecosystem through articles, videos, and events.
We are set to launch our Academy to teach entrepreneurship, as well as EMTV, our online streaming channel dedicated to the startup world. Additionally, we plan to establish a primary market for direct investing in startups listed on our platform and a secondary market that allows investors to sell their shares and liquidate their positions, removing the illiquidity obstacle of startup investing. Thanks to blockchain technology and our stablecoin, we will also enable share swapping between investors and founders.
What inspired you to start your journey as a coach and entrepreneur? Were there any specific events, challenges, or people that motivated you to take this path?
I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur since I was a child, and this is who I am today. I have been an entrepreneur for the last 20 years. My motivation is to create something that helps others thrive, dream, and improve their lives.
Looking back at the beginning of your career, what were the major challenges you faced when establishing yourself as a leader/coach? How did you overcome those obstacles?
When choosing to become an entrepreneur, you must understand that your life will be challenging from day one. However, this is what makes entrepreneurship beautiful and unique.
How do I overcome these challenges? A clear vision, followed by passion, hard work, and a lot of resilience. And when things go bad, I remind myself: I don’t give up. Tomorrow is a new day full of great things waiting to happen. I will succeed no matter what. Success is only a matter of time for me.
Would you like to share any remarkable achievements?
Remarkable achievements happen every day; we just need to recognize them—not only in business but also in our personal lives. For me, one of the most significant achievements was scaling my first startup from zero to one million euros in just 12 months. It was especially gratifying, considering we were only a team of three.
Women are a growing force in workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. What are your thoughts on women’s leadership today?
I consider women and men equal, so for me, their rise in leadership is obvious and very much welcome.
What message/advice would you have for future women leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs?
My advice is for entrepreneurs, both men and women: If you want to succeed, you must be 100% focused on your venture. Remove all the noise around you, be aware that problems will arise daily, and never let them bring you down. At the end of each day, take a moment to highlight the good and bad, analyze them, and work on fixing and improving them. Learn how to improve every single day. And finally, build a winning mindset. You WILL win, no matter what.
Please insert website or social media links (if any):
EquityMatch.co
