PLAI is the name of the new startup accelerator created on the initiative of the Mondadori Group, which aims to transform ideas based on the exploitation of artificial intelligence into entrepreneurial realities. PLAI offers entrepreneurs a distinctive field of application and an industrial outlet both within the publishing house and at the partners of the initiative.
With the PLAI project, the Mondadori Group aims to: create a technological hub that makes it possible to identify highly innovative initiatives related to the sectors in which it operates, publishing, education, retail, media and advertising; position itself at the centre of the artificial intelligence revolution, becoming the nucleus of a national and international community of innovators; create industrial value and competitive advantage through targeted investments in AI startups.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming many markets. In a scenario where generative AI makes it possible to create and rework any form of content, revolutionizing the way any activity is carried out, we want to give a strong boost in terms of knowledge and conscious use of AI in all our business areas – Antonio Porro, CEO of the Mondadori Group, said in a note. As media publishers, we want to play a central role in the Gen AI ecosystem to preside over the industry as a trendsetter, attract talent, and offer our customers new products and services.”
PLAI will operate in the pre-seed and seed phases, selecting, for each annual acceleration cycle, 10 Italian and international startups that will be supported with a Initial investment of €100,000 each, in exchange for a minority stake. The Mondadori Group’s total financial commitment is approximately €6 million, to be invested in the three-year period 2024-2026.
The accelerator will provide startups, in addition to capital, with concrete areas of application of AI, structured training and mentorship courses and the opportunity to participate in networking events. All this is also thanks to the set of skills and assets made available by the Italian and international collaborators who have decided to join the Mondadori Group in this initiative: Startupbootcamp, I3P, Amazon AWS, PWC, Multiversity, GroupM, Codemotion and Datapizza.
Startupbootcamp, a European startup accelerator, will support the PLAI team at every stage of the project, providing a contribution starting from international scouting and providing its network of experts and mentors. The PLAI and Startupbootcamp teams will work closely together sharing the same work location. This partnership represents an important piece of Startupbootcamp’s vision to accelerate, by 2030, 100 thousand technologies with a positive impact on the planet and society. I3P, the incubator of the Politecnico di Torino, which supports the creation and development of innovative startups with high technological intensity, will support PLAI in all phases of the acceleration process, in particular by enriching its training offer, providing over 10 specific workshops.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) will offer startups credits to use the AWS Cloud with more than 200 services, including those dedicated to Machine Learning and Generative Artificial Intelligence, as well as access to AWS’ team of AI experts. Multiversity, which operates in the world of education and is a pioneer in generative AI applied to digital training, will provide its academic skills in the technology transfer process, thus creating an ideal ecosystem for the success of startups in this sector. GroupM will provide innovation and experience in marketing, media and digital to bring startups closer to their customers’ real business. PwC Italia will support the PLAI team by providing its expertise gained in the publishing and media market and in innovation management processes, contributing to the scouting and training phases for startups and supporting the PLAI team as a strategic advisor.
Codemotion will enrich the program with the involvement of experts from the network and will support the creation of the PLAI community by encouraging the meeting with its community of over 250 thousand developers through dedicated events and contests and participation in the annual conference, a reference point for developers in Italy. Datapizza will support the growth of the PLAI community, creating synergies with Gen AI experts and telling the story of the Italian mediatech initiative that reaches 15 million organic impressions every month.
PLAI encapsulates its DNA in its name: a play on words that transforms play into PLAI, adding the element of AI, and symbolizing a dynamic environment, a real playground for startups ready to explore and revolutionize the field of generative AI. The PLAl-Ground will therefore be made available to startups, a physical place to meet and work at the WAO PL7 space, in via Lambertenghi 8 in Milan, designed to stimulate creativity, exchange ideas and accelerate the implementation of ambitious projects.
Startups can already apply to be examined and, therefore, selected to access the acceleration program promoted by PLAI. The selection phase of the 10 startups of the first cycle will end with the selection day in mid-September, while the acceleration period, lasting four months, will begin in October. During this phase, each startup will be able to take advantage of over 50 hours of dedicated workshops, led by Italian and international experts, and 20 hours of tailored mentorship, and will be able to find application of their idea both within the Mondadori Group and at PLAI’s partners.
In January 2025, the demo day is scheduled, a moment in which the startups will be presented to the market, allowing them to make themselves known to investors and companies and thus kick off a further important stage of development. PLAI will be led as Chairman by Antonio Porro, CEO of the Mondadori Group, while the position of Chief Executive Officer will be held by Stefano Argiolas, Chief AI Officer of the Mondadori Group and founder of Hej!, the startup acquired by the Mondadori Group in 2021 and active in AI-driven performance marketing solutions. The PLAI team will also be supported in strategic decisions by an advisory board composed of a group of professionals, academics and managers with expertise in AI and business development: Alessandra Antonelli, Paola Bonomo, Marco Bressani, Luciano Catoni, Paola Colombo, Guido Di Fraia, Matteo Flora, Luca La Mesa, Marco Magnaghi, Paolo Merialdo, Paola Mogliotti, Giangiacomo Olivi, Giulio Ranucci, Alceo Rapagna, Maurizio Romandini, Chiara Russo, Massimo Sideri and Franco Spicciariello.
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