The pitch is straightforward. A company needs a freelance data engineer for a six-month project. Cosmico, a Milan-based platform, wants to change the final clause. Its bet is that the same company also needs a way to onboard that remote engineer, build team cohesion, and maybe even host an offsite. By bundling talent matching with what it calls "future of work" infrastructure, including corporate retreats, Cosmico is trying to move from a transactional marketplace to a sticky, high-touch service layer for European businesses scaling distributed tech teams.
Founded in 2020, Cosmico has built a network of over 27,000 digital professionals [Financecommunity, 2024]. It reported revenue of €3.68 million in 2023, representing 100% year-over-year growth [ufficiocamerale.it, 2024] [Mediakey, 2026] [Breakingtech, 2026]. The company posted a net loss of €257,885 in 2023 [ufficiocamerale.it, 2024]. Its recent €12 million Series B, led by P101 SGR with participation from existing investor Prana Ventures, is the fuel for its expanded ambition [Startbase, 2025].
The wedge: From staffing to service layer
Cosmico's initial wedge was a two-sided marketplace connecting tech freelancers with companies. Its service areas cover product design, web and mobile development, e-commerce, data, AI, DevOps, and cybersecurity [wearecosmico.com, retrieved 2024]. In 2025, it acquired Creative Harbour, a company specializing in corporate retreats for startups and large enterprises [Startupbusiness.it, 2026].
Scaling through acquisition
To deepen its talent bench, Cosmico also acquired Bioss Srl, a technology consultancy focused on digital transformation, with an emphasis on cybersecurity and AI segments [ADC Group, retrieved 2026] [Breakingtech, 2026].
| Acquisition | Focus Area | Strategic Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Harbour | Corporate retreats & experiences | Adds a high-margin service layer to increase client stickiness and ACV. |
| Bioss Srl | Cybersecurity & AI consulting | Deepens talent bench in premium, high-demand tech verticals. |
The team and investor confidence
Co-founders Francesco Marino and Simone Tornabene launched Cosmico in 2020. Marino, the CEO, has a background in journalism and hosts a podcast on AI and digital geopolitics [Vulcano Statale, 2024] [Digitalic, 2026]. Tornabene serves as Chief Marketing Officer [The Org, retrieved 2026].
Where the model faces pressure
- Margin compression. Bundling higher-margin services like retreats is the strategic response to competitive pricing in staffing.
- Platform liquidity. With over 27,000 professionals listed, the key question is active, engaged supply versus passive profiles.
- Geographic concentration. Scaling the unique retreats-and-talent model across different European cultures presents an operational hurdle.
The next twelve months
Cosmico's ideal customer profile is the growth-stage European tech company or the digital transformation team inside a larger corporation. Its success hinges on proving that this middle ground is not a no-man's-land, but a defensible market position.
Sources
- [ufficiocamerale.it, 2024] Cosmico srl financial and employee data | https://www.ufficiocamerale.it/3954/cosmico-srl
- [Financecommunity, 2024] Cosmico rileva Creative Harbour | https://financecommunity.it/cosmico-rileva-creative-harbour-gli-advisor
- [Startbase, 2025] Cosmico gönnt sich 12 Millionen Euro in Series B | https://www.startbase.com/news/cosmico-goennt-sich-12-millionen-euro-in-series-b/
- [Mediakey, 2026] Cosmico revenue and growth report | https://www.mediakey.tv/en/news/cosmico-srl-closes-a-12-million-euro-series-b-round-to-expand-across-europe/
- [Breakingtech, 2026] Cosmico growth and Bioss acquisition | https://breakingtech.it/2024/12/03/cosmico-srl-chiude-un-round-series-b-da-12-milioni-di-euro-per-espandersi-in-europa/
- [ADC Group, retrieved 2026] Cosmico acquires Bioss Srl | https://www.adcgroup.it/news/cosmico-acquisisce-bioss-per-rafforzare-la-comunita-nei-segmenti-cybersecurity-e-data-ai
- [Startupbusiness.it, 2026] Cosmico acquires Creative Harbour | https://www.startupbusiness.it/news/cosmico-srl-chiude-un-round-series-b-da-12-milioni-di-euro-per-espandersi-in-europa/1053507/
- [Vulcano Statale, 2024] Intervista a Francesco Marino | https://vulcanostatale.it/2024/07/intervista-a-francesco-marino-fra-trend-e-privacy-violata/
- [Digitalic, 2026] DigitMondo podcast hosted by Francesco Marino | https://www.digitalic.it/intelligenza-artificiale/podcast-digitmondo-ai-tecnologia-geopolitica-digitale
- [The Org, retrieved 2026] Simone Tornabene role at Cosmico | https://theorg.com/org/cosmico/org-chart
- [wearecosmico.com, retrieved 2024] Cosmico service areas | https://wearecosmico.com/en