Investments in intelligenza artificiale (AI) are experiencing a period of unprecedented expansion. Amid stellar valuations, growing startups, and resounding announcements, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between hype and real value.
During the AI Week, the international fund Langoustia Capital shared a clear and strategic vision: the true potential of AI lies in concrete applications, especially in vertical software enhanced by artificial intelligence.
The explosion of AI investments in 2025
According to Goldman Sachs, in 2025 investments in AI will exceed 200 billion dollars, with an acceleration driven by venture capital, private funds, and large tech companies.
Here are some data that demonstrate the scope of the phenomenon:
- OpenAI is close to a fundraising round that would bring it to a valuation of 340 billion dollars.
- Figure AI, active in humanoid robotics, has gone from 2 to 40 billion in valuation in just one year.
- Companies like Disney, Nvidia, Google DeepMind, and Elon Musk’s X.ai are integrating artificial intelligence into their processes and products.
But not all that glitters is gold: the case of the Chinese model DeepSeek has caused a billion-dollar crash in the stock market, confirming that the AI market is highly speculative and reactive.
Lessons from the past: from the hardware boom to applied AI
According to Langoustia Capital, to understand how to invest inartificial intelligence today, it is useful to look at the history of technology.
In the ’90s, the market rewarded companies like HP, IBM, Cisco, protagonists of the hardware revolution. Over time, however, the real value shifted to software: Google, Amazon, and Microsoft grew thanks to their ability to create scalable platforms.
The infrastructure becomes commoditized. The software defends itself, scales, and generates lasting value.
Vertical software and AI: the new paradigm for startups and funds
The future lies in the combination of vertical software and generative AI, meaning tailor-made solutions for individual sectors that leverage the power of artificial intelligence to optimize, automate, and scale processes.
Langoustia Capital is investing right in this space. Here are some examples:
- Toast: restaurant management software, now valued at over 20 billion dollars, has generated returns of 160x for the initial investors.
- ServiceTitan: software for tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, etc.), with a 60x return and a billion-dollar IPO.
- TaxGPT: AI copilot for accountants and tax advisors.
- Harvey: AI for the legal sector.
- Cybergrant: startup founded by Italians that uses AI for cybersecurity.
These growing AI startups are concrete proof that AI applied to verticals is fertile ground for those seeking solid investment opportunities.
Langoustia Capital: global AI funds with an Italian soul
Langoustia Capital is an AI investment fund based in San Francisco, New York, Miami, and Milan. Supported by the Del Vecchio family (Luxottica), it is one of the few funds in the world dedicated exclusively to the application layer of artificial intelligence.
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Strengths:
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- 11 startups in portfolio in just 12 months
- Average return of +150% IRR
- Focus on AI-powered software and vertical startups
- Network of venture partners in Europe and Silicon Valley
Langoustia presents itself as a “mongoose in Silicon Valley”: agile, selective, with a clear vision on where to generate real value.
Why focus on vertical AI investments
The message from Langoustia is clear: the best investment opportunities in AI are not found in chips or generalist models, but in specialized applications capable of solving concrete problems in traditional sectors.
The goal is to discover and support the future Google, Amazon, and Meta of AI — startups ready to transform healthcare, finance, dining, legal, logistics, and more.
Conclusion: AI that creates value is concrete, specialized, and scalable
In an ecosystem dominated by sensationalist headlines and exaggerated promises, it is essential to analyze in depth where and how to invest in artificial intelligence.
Langoustia Capital represents today one of the few concrete examples of a fund that does not follow the hype, but builds value through disciplined strategies, sector by sector.