Milan, 24 March 2026
Algebris Climatech, the Article 9 venture capital fund of Algebris Investments focused on technologies for decarbonisation and climate resilience, announces an investment of €4 million in Dronus, an innovative SME specialising in the design and manufacture of automated drone systems for industrial use. Dronus is the first company to develop and patent NEST®, a technology that enables an autonomous aerial infrastructure for inspection and monitoring.
The transaction forms part of a €15 million Series A round led by Algebris, with participation from Azimut, CDP Venture Capital, SIMEST and Eni Next. The funding will support the final stages of Dronus’[1] technology development and its commercial expansion.
Founded in 2018 by Marco Ballerini, Dronus was established to develop integrated technology solutions for the remote acquisition, management and processing of data and images, helping to enhance safety and social well-being while fully respecting privacy. Headquartered in Trieste, with a multidisciplinary team of more than 30 people, the company has built a strong reputation for excellence in the design and production of unmanned aerial systems for industrial applications.
The transaction will help accelerate the development of NEST®, Dronus’ patented aerial drone-in-a-box technology. The system is built around an aerial base station that acts as the platform’s central control unit, enabling remote fleet management while automating drone take-off, landing and charging. Designed as a lightweight and easily replicable node, NEST® introduces a distributed aerial infrastructure model for applications across industrial sites, critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, smart cities and civil protection.
“We are proud to lead this round in Dronus. The combination of patented technology, 24/7 operations including Beyond Visual Line of Sight missions, and the platform’s continued evolution towards increasingly advanced AI capabilities can deliver tangible benefits for the monitoring of critical infrastructure – from energy to telecommunications – and enable new services in smart cities. Through this investment, we will support the team in accelerating both its technology roadmap and commercial growth,” said Stefano Ferrari, Partner at Algebris Climatech.
“With this round, we aim to strengthen Dronus’ positioning as an international company capable of supporting leading players in industry, security and smart cities, while consolidating our presence in Europe and other strategic markets,” said Marco Ballerini, CEO and Co-Founder of Dronus. “Our ambition is to become a leading technology partner for automated inspections and advanced monitoring, helping improve safety and operational efficiency while fully respecting privacy.”
Algebris Climatech has now deployed approximately 25% of the capital it has raised to date, which currently stands at around €70 million, with a target of reaching €100 million.
Algebris Climatech and Algebris Green Transition Fund, a private equity fund of Algebris Investments, are part of Algebris’ alternative funds strategy in the climate and environmental transition sector.
[1] The transaction was also supported by the Green Transition Fund (GTF), managed by CDP Venture Capital SGR. The investment is funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU programme through resources from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), under Mission 2 (“Green Revolution and Ecological Transition”), Component 2 (“Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, Grid and Sustainable Mobility”), Investment 5.4 (“Support for start-ups and venture capital active in the ecological transition”).
