Who in Italy is willing to spend 11 million dollar on something like this?
It's venture capital. They basically bet on a couple of lines in future history books. That's also why I don't think Dr. Canavero will have trouble finding 150 colleagues and nurses which are similarly interested in the prospect on exceptional fame. I think, though, that they will very likely fail to convince the ethics committees.
http://www.businessinsider.com/valery-spiridonov-head-transplant-2015-4
Don't really have much to add beyond this. It's pretty awesome stuff though. The fact that this is even within the realm of possibility makes the argument for cryonics that much stronger.