Cosmico, an Italian future-of-work group that operates in Italy and Spain, has bought 100% of Clutch, a Milan recruiting startup that combines AI tools with human recruiters. The acquisition was announced on October 28, 2026, through the Italian news agency Adnkronos, and is Cosmico's fifth since 2024.
Terms were not disclosed. Clutch described the sale as a million-euro exit, according to Techbusiness, but neither side gave a figure.
Clutch will keep its own brand, team and operational and strategic independence, and its co-founder Lorenzo Cattelani will stay on as chief executive. It will share Cosmico's central functions, including technology, finance, administration, marketing and human resources.
What Clutch built
Clutch was founded in May 2024 by Cattelani, Anna Valenti and Federica Riviello, according to Techbusiness. It works as a recruitment and selection firm for permanent roles, using software to do much of the groundwork. AI handles data analysis, candidate identification and operational tasks, while recruiters assess candidates' motivation, potential and fit with what the client needs.
The company says it delivers a shortlist of qualified candidates within five working days of starting a search, and Adnkronos reported that it can run up to 112 searches at once. Its clients come from manufacturing, energy, telecoms, retail, oil and gas, financial services and sales.
Techbusiness reported that Cattelani built the company on the view that technology should strengthen recruiters' skills rather than replace them. The publication cited LinkedIn's Future of Recruiting 2025 report, in which 73% of talent acquisition professionals said AI would change how companies hire.
Growth and backers
Clutch grew quickly for a two-year-old company. It closed 2025, its first full year, with revenue of €1.8 million (about $2.1 million). Techbusiness reported an EBITDA margin of 35% that year and said the company broke even after six months of operations.
The two reports differ on some figures. Adnkronos said Clutch had served 195 clients and was targeting €2.6 million (about $3 million) in revenue for 2026, while Techbusiness put the client count at 185 and the 2026 target at €3 million (about $3.5 million). Adnkronos also reported a goal of 500 selection processes in 2027.
Techbusiness named KeyPartners and Gedi, part of Gruppo Vertus, as investors in Clutch. The amounts they invested, and the dates, were not disclosed. Clutch did not disclose its headcount. Techbusiness noted that an exit two years after founding is far quicker than the 8.6-year average it cited for venture-backed companies acquired in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Why Cosmico is buying
Cosmico was founded in 2020 around freelance talent, offering companies what it calls talent as a service. According to Adnkronos, it has a community of more than 35,000 professionals and over 300 clients in Italy and Spain. Its 2025 revenue was €24 million (about $28 million), up 109% on the previous year, and it is targeting €40 million (about $47 million) in 2026 and €100 million (about $117 million) by 2028. Francesco Marino is its chief executive and co-founder.
Until now the group focused on project work and freelancers. Buying Clutch takes it into permanent hiring, so it can cover companies' talent needs from short projects to full-time roles. Clutch becomes one of five Cosmico businesses, alongside Cosmico Talent, Flatmates, Creative Harbour and Play New.
Marino said the Italian recruitment and selection market still has plenty of room for consolidation. Adnkronos put that market at about €500 million (about $585 million) and described it as fragmented. Cattelani said in the announcement that in recruiting, success does not come from any single search.
What changes for clients
The companies said Clutch's clients will keep working with the same team under the Clutch name. Techbusiness reported that joining Cosmico's shared functions is meant to give Clutch more resources and operating capacity, help it grow its client base and possibly take it into new sectors and markets.
