Call Startup AI 4 Future

Since its inception, WMF - We Make Future, the International Trade Fair and Festival on Tech and Digital Innovation, has been promoting Italian and international startups and companies that develop innovative projects or ideas in the technology and digital sector. This approach continues within the AI*Festival, where particular attention is given to those projects based on the various applications of Artificial Intelligence, capable of generating a positive impact on society.

In this context, the Call for AI for Future Startup is born, the competition entirely dedicated to AI applications that define the present and future of Artificial Intelligence. The competition offers opportunity to participate on February 14th and 15th 2024 at the AI*Festival at Fiera MiCo in Milan:the occasion to connect with investors, companies, startups, stakeholders, and industry players through networking activities, business matching, recruiting, and sharing of knowledge and expertise.

Fill out the form and apply for the AI for Future Startup Competition: the call will close on September 19th!

Startups have the opportunity to gain visibility and showcase their projects within the innovative ecosystem of WMF and AI*Festival by participating in the first international challenge among innovative projects dedicated to the world of AI. The selected startups will present themselves to an audience composed of 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.

Startups that apply for the Call AI for Future by September 19th may be selected to participate in AI Festival.

The selected startups will also have the opportunity to access:

• AI*Festival event, including B2B meetings with international investors;

• the WMF International Roadshow, the international project that accompanies the best Italian startups abroad within the main sector events;

• the global WMF and AI Festival networks with possible involvement in related initiatives in Italy and beyond.

The best-selected startups will have access to AI*Festival, and will be able to present their projects. The finalists will present their project at the AI Festival, in front of a jury composed of investors, industry players, and incubators, and to the audience both in the room and online.

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

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

• Team skills, knowledge of the sector, feasibility of the project;

• Stage of development of the product/service;

• Degree of innovation and defensibility of the project;

• Competitive context and positioning;

• Alignment with market and customer needs and their size;

• Business potential of the idea;

• Completeness of the documentation presented.

The elevator pitch is the heart of the Call for AI for Future Startup. It is a short presentation that summarizes the key elements of an entrepreneurial idea, designed to attract potential investors or promote a business idea.

Fill out the form to apply for the AI*Festival Startup Competition.