Loading organizations...
Cesarine has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Cesarine.
Cesarine has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Based in Bologna, Italy, Cesarine operates a culinary tourism platform that connects travelers with a nationwide community of local home cooks for traditional dining experiences and cooking classes. The company functions as a marketplace where hosts publish personalized food and wine tours, partnering with recognized entities like the Slow Food community to promote regional gastronomy. Operating with approximately 40 employees, the enterprise generated €4 million in turnover during 2023, nearly doubling its €2.12 million revenue from the previous year. The platform has continued to scale its local operations, recording a 25% increase in guest bookings within Bologna in 2024 while securing financial backing from investors including Finalca Group and Venchi CEO Daniele Ferrero. Originally established as a cultural association in 2004, the modern digital platform was subsequently developed and launched by founder Davide Maggi.
Key people at Cesarine.
Cesarine has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Cesarine is Italy's leading platform for authentic food experiences, connecting travelers with local home cooks for cooking classes, market tours, lunches, dinners, and wine tours across the country.[2][5] Founded in 2004, it builds a nationwide community of vetted hosts to preserve Italy's culinary heritage through immersive, tailor-made events that foster genuine cultural connections via food and hospitality.[1][2][6] It serves tourists, food enthusiasts, and corporate groups seeking team-building or events, solving the problem of superficial travel by offering "the real deal" of local cuisine in private homes.[2][3] With around 33 employees based in Bologna, Cesarine emphasizes safety through insurance, verified hosts, secure payments, and hygiene protocols, and has earned recognition like Slow Food Community status in 2019 and a spot in the FoodTech 500.[1][2][4]
Cesarine was founded in 2004 by Davide, described as the mastermind behind the platform, with a focus on creating Italy's first nationwide network of local home cooks.[1][2][6] The idea emerged from a passion to safeguard Italy's food culture amid globalization, starting with hosts welcoming global guests into their homes to share family recipes through hands-on lunches, dinners, and classes.[2][6] Early traction built organically by expanding to hundreds of locations, emphasizing authentic connections between travelers and Italians, which evolved into a structured platform with corporate offerings and online elements by the 2010s.[2][3][5] Pivotal moments include 2019's Slow Food endorsement and FoodTech 500 recognition, solidifying its role in experiential travel.[1][2]
Cesarine rides the experiential travel and foodtech wave, capitalizing on post-pandemic demand for authentic, local immersion over mass tourism, amplified by platforms enabling peer-to-peer cultural exchanges.[1][2] Timing aligns with rising interest in sustainable, community-based tourism—Slow Food ties position it against homogenized experiences, while tech stack supports scalable bookings in leisure/travel.[4][5] Market forces like Italy's culinary fame and global wanderlust favor it, influencing the ecosystem by pioneering home-cook networks that inspire similar models in foodtech, blending tradition with digital access for broader cultural preservation.[1][2][6]
Cesarine is poised to expand its hybrid model—blending in-person events with online courses, gifts, and corporate partnerships—as travel rebounds and foodtech integrates AI for personalized matching.[3][5] Trends like sustainable tourism and virtual tastings will shape growth, potentially scaling beyond Italy via franchised networks. Its influence may evolve from niche preserver to global food experience leader, deepening tech's role in authentic hospitality while staying true to local roots—echoing its 2004 mission to connect the world through Italy's tables.[2]
Cesarine has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in December 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2017 | $1M Seed | — | — | Announced |
