Call Startup AI 4 Future

WMF - We Make Future, the International Fair and Festival on AI, Tech and Digital Innovation, has always supported Italian and international startups and businesses developing innovative projects or ideas in the AI, tech and digital sectors. This commitment continues within the AI*Festival - Integrating AI, the international event dedicated to AI applications, organized by WMF - We Make Future in Milan.

In these contexts, particular attention is given to projects based on various Artificial Intelligence applications capable of generating a positive impact on society. This is the premise behind the AI for Future Startup Call, a competition entirely focused on AI applications across various industries and sectors shaping the present and future of Artificial Intelligence.

By applying, your startup will compete for two opportunities:

• Participation in the AI Festival, scheduled for February 26-27, 2025, in Milan.

• Participation in WMF, taking place from June 4-6, 2025, at BolognaFiere, located in the Tecnopolo district, the heart of the Data Valley.

These will be two key opportunities to connect with a network of investors, companies, startups, stakeholders, and industry players through B2B meetings, networking activities, and business matching in a high-potential development context for Italy and Europe.

The first phase of the call is officially open: apply by filling out the form by 12/17.

Startups have the opportunity to gain visibility and showcase their projects within the innovative ecosystem of WMF by participating in the international call for innovative projects dedicated to the world of AI. Selected startups will present to an audience comprising major players in the digital sector, investors, and experts in entrepreneurship and innovation who may decide to support the realization and growth of the business idea.

The selected startups will have the opportunity to attend the WMF and AI Festival and gain access to:

• to other WMF and AI Festival initiatives including B2B meetings with international investors;

• to the WMF's Startup District, the exhibition area dedicated to startups from around the world;

• to the WMF's International Roadshow, the international project that accompanies the best Italian startups abroad within the main industry events.

• to the WMF's global network with possible involvement in related initiatives in the Italian territory and beyond.

By participating in the AI for Future startup call, you will have the opportunity to co-design the impact of artificial intelligence alongside a vast global community of innovators.

The selected top startups will have access to AI Festival and WMF and will be able to present their projects during the events, in front of the jury and the audience present both in the venue and online.

Each startup will have 3 minutes to present the key elements of their idea. The jury will then have an additional 2 minutes to ask follow-up questions. At the end, both the jury and the audience will vote to determine the two winners, one chosen by the jury and one by the audience.

Read the instructions

The call is dedicated to startups and companies - composed of individuals or in teams - with innovative projects or ideas in the technology and digital sector, whose core business is Artificial Intelligence. In addition, special interest is given to those innovative projects aimed at generating a positive impact on territories and society. Candidate projects are selected based on the following criteria:

• Competence of the team, knowledge of the field, the feasibility of the project;

• Stage of product/service development;

• Degree of innovation and defensibility of the same;

• Competitive environment and positioning;

• Responsiveness to and size of market and customer needs;

• Business potential of the idea;

• Completeness of the documentation submitted

The elevator pitch is the heart of the Competition. It is a short presentation that encapsulates the key elements of a business idea, designed to attract possible investors or promote a business idea.

> Download the support material

Apply your startup by December 17, 2024!