Pizza della Longevità: fundraising for franchise development

Antiaging Italian Food is preparing to develop Pizza della Longevità as a franchise through a new round of fundraising. The Bologna-based innovative SME, co-founded by nutritionist Chiara Manzi and business executive Danilo Pertosa, has opened the second phase of its equity crowdfunding campaign on the Opstart platform. The project aims to raise up to €1.23 million, starting with trials of the concept in Bologna.

Funding a multi-channel project

According to a report published by Mark Up on 16 October 2026, the campaign has a minimum investment of €5,000. Antiaging Italian Food has already raised more than €1 million in previous rounds, building a shareholder base of over 200 investors.

The new funding supports a strategy that goes beyond opening restaurants. The proceeds will go towards developing the physical network and structuring the franchise model, as well as strengthening the supply chain and increasing production capacity for pizza bases sold directly to consumers online.

The plan also includes the launch of Vezzality premium coffee, intended for the network's restaurants, retail outlets and online sales. This is therefore an integrated project, combining a future physical presence with stronger production capabilities and digital sales.

It is important to distinguish the minimum investment on Opstart from any future franchise costs. The €5,000 figure relates to participation in the equity fundraising campaign; it is not the price of opening a pizzeria under the brand.

Bologna will be the testing ground for the concept

The restaurant model will be tested at Cucina Evolution Experience in Bologna. A dedicated room within the restaurant will serve as a pilot site, testing the operational and financial aspects of the proposition before the network is developed.

Four measures have been identified: menu, margins, average spend and customer experience. These are distinct but connected, covering both what the restaurant offers and how that offering can translate into a financially sustainable business.

The menu defines the offering; margins measure its financial viability; average spend helps assess the value of purchases; and customer experience covers the restaurant visit as a whole. The announced trial will therefore need to look beyond the product itself and examine the entire concept.

For the franchise sector, this is the key point: the project includes an explicit pilot phase. The announcement concerns a process of building and validating a network, rather than results already achieved by an established chain of franchised restaurants.

Around €120,000 to design the franchise network

A specialist consultancy will be appointed to design the franchise model, with a dedicated investment of around €120,000. This allocation is separate from the overall fundraising target and relates to preparing the franchise offering.

Here too, the purpose of the figure matters: it is not the investment required from an individual future franchisee, but the amount the company plans to spend on designing the network. Confusing the two would misrepresent the project.

The plan brings together two activities: testing the concept at the Bologna pilot site and structuring its development as a franchise. The first concerns how the restaurant operates; the second prepares for the transition to a network. These are the announced areas to watch as the project develops.

What this means for prospective franchisees

The announcement brings a restaurant project to the Italian franchise market that is seeking capital to turn a nutrition-led proposition into a physical network, while retaining an online sales channel. The name Pizza della Longevità — literally, ‘Longevity Pizza’ — identifies the product and commercial project: it should not, in itself, be taken as evidence of health benefits.

For prospective franchisees, the key development to follow is the move from testing to a franchise offering. The pilot site's results could provide a useful basis for assessing the model, alongside the financial and operational terms of the future network.

Practical guidance: always distinguish between investing in the company's equity and investing in opening a restaurant. Before considering a franchise, ask for the pilot results and a financial plan specific to the proposed outlet.