Renaissance Tech

The Renaissance Tech illustration series was developed for Cassa Depositi e Prestiti’s (CDP) new Venture Capital platform, creating a visual bridge between Italy’s rich artistic heritage and the innovation-driven world of financial technology.

As illustrator and visual designer, I crafted a collection of digital illustrations that honour classical Italian Renaissance art whilst speaking to a modern, forward-thinking audience.

The Challenge: Tradition Meets Innovation

CDP Venture Capital needed a visual identity that reflected their unique position: a government-backed investment platform rooted in Italian institutional heritage, yet focused on funding cutting-edge startups and technological innovation. The challenge was creating brand illustrations that could communicate this duality without feeling disconnected or derivative.

Traditional venture capital branding often leans heavily into tech aesthetics: sleek, minimal, sometimes sterile. CDP needed something different: visuals that acknowledged Italy’s unparalleled artistic legacy whilst projecting confidence in the future. The solution needed to work across digital platforms, maintain cultural authenticity, and appeal to both institutional stakeholders and entrepreneurial audiences.

Concept Development

The Renaissance Tech concept emerged from exploring how Italian Renaissance masterpieces could inform contemporary digital design. Rather than simply reproducing classical works, I synthesised iconic artistic elements—recognisable forms, compositions, and symbols from Italy’s golden age—into streamlined, modern vector illustrations.

The colour palette drew direct inspiration from the Italian flag, using variations of green, white, and red with contemporary nuance. This subtle patriotic reference reinforced CDP’s role as a national institution whilst avoiding obvious flag imagery that might feel heavy-handed or overly governmental.

Design Approach and Execution

Each illustration in the Renaissance Tech series began with careful study of specific Renaissance artworks—examining composition, gesture, symbolism, and emotional resonance. I then abstracted these elements into clean, geometric forms that maintained the essence of the original whilst feeling unmistakably contemporary.

The technical execution prioritised digital flexibility. All artwork was created as 100% vector illustrations in Sketch rather than Illustrator. This decision, whilst unconventional for illustration work, enabled smoother collaboration with the web development team and simplified animation implementation for interactive elements on the CDP Venture Capital platform.

The limited colour palette served multiple purposes: it created visual cohesion across the series, ensured excellent digital reproduction, reinforced the Italian identity, and provided sufficient contrast for accessibility standards. Each illustration could function independently or as part of a larger visual system, giving the brand flexibility in application.

Cultural Context and Relevance

Italy’s relationship with innovation is complex. The country produced Leonardo da Vinci—history’s ultimate fusion of art and technology—yet contemporary Italian entrepreneurship often struggles for international recognition. The Renaissance Tech illustrations subtly addressed this tension, suggesting that Italian innovation isn’t despite the country’s artistic heritage but because of it.

By grounding a venture capital platform in Renaissance visual language, the work positioned CDP as custodians of both Italy’s past excellence and future potential. The illustrations communicated that backing Italian startups isn’t just economic policy; it’s continuing a tradition of Italian ingenuity that stretches back centuries.

Results and Application

The Renaissance Tech series became a defining visual element of the CDP Venture Capital platform, appearing across the website, presentations, and marketing materials. The illustrations successfully communicated the brand’s unique positioning—serious institutional backing with appreciation for creative innovation.

The work demonstrated how thoughtful illustration design can solve complex branding challenges in the financial sector, an industry often constrained by conservative visual conventions. By drawing on Italy’s unmatched artistic legacy, the project created distinctive brand visuals that competitors in the venture capital space couldn’t replicate.

View more illustration work.

Project Vitals

Specialty: Digital Illustration, Vector Art, Brand Visuals
Client: Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP)
Project: CDP Venture Capital Website
Role: Illustrator, Visual Designer
Concept: Italian Renaissance meets modern technology
Style: Streamlined vector illustration with limited colour palette inspired by Italian flag
Industry: Financial Services, Venture Capital
Tools: Sketch