From the CES, WMF Launches ‘WMF FOR AI’: International Opportunities for Startups, Including an Event in San Francisco

From CES Las Vegas, WMF launches ‘WMF For AI’: global opportunities for startups, San Francisco event on March 17-18, and WMF 2025 in Bologna.

SAN FRANSCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, January 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Among the highlights of WMF’s 2025 initiatives are numerous international opportunities for innovative startups, from the AI Festival in Milan to the first WMF event in the United States, set to take place on March 17-18 in San Francisco, and collaborations with Bologna’s Tecnopolo. Cosmano Lombardo, WMF’s creator, explains: “We build networks among startups, large companies, institutions, and citizens to support technology that shapes the future.”

Italy takes center stage at CES Las Vegas, the largest international trade fair dedicated to technology and innovation, running from January 7 to 10. WMF (We Make Future), one of Europe’s most prominent certified international fairs on AI, Tech, and Digital, joins the national delegation led by ICE – the Italian Trade & Investment Agency.

At Arena Italia, the national pavilion at Eureka Park – CES’s hub for innovative startups – WMF hosted an Innovation Talk, presenting “WMF For AI 2025,” a series of projects aimed at promoting the development and application of artificial intelligence across various technological and industrial sectors.

“Our goal is to support technological development with a strategic focus on artificial intelligence, a key driver for building a more sustainable and inclusive future. We do this by creating a global ecosystem that connects startups, large companies, institutions, and citizens. Over the past decade, this approach has allowed us to engage with over 90 countries and attract investment funds, businesses, and innovators from around the world,” said Cosmano Lombardo, CEO and founder of Search On Media Group and creator of WMF. “Our mission is clear: using innovation to create tangible opportunities and address global challenges.”

Key Announcements: WMF International Roadshow and AI 4 Future Call One of the most significant announcements of “WMF For AI 2025” at CES is the first U.S. stop of WMF’s International Roadshow, set for March 17-18, 2025, in San Francisco at Innovit. This event, supported by ICE, offers opportunities not only for startups but also for industry professionals, investors, and companies working in artificial intelligence.

The program includes educational and informative AI talks by renowned experts, such as Nestor Maslej, Research Manager at HAI – Human Centered Artificial Intelligence, as well as panels with international investors and venture capitalists. The event also features a dedicated space for AI startup pitch sessions, enabling startups to present their ideas to investors and stakeholders.

An upcoming call for startups will select four Italian startups and four American startups working on AI applications to compete at this San Francisco event. Prizes include participation in WMF 2025 (June 4-6, BolognaFiere) with a dedicated desk in the AI District, access to B2B meetings with investors and VCs, and a chance to pitch on the AI Startup Stage, which showcases startups selected throughout the year.

Another announcement is the launch of the international call “WMF - AI 4 Future,” where 36 startups will compete with innovative projects addressing 12 key global challenges, from sustainable cities to culture, food, marketing, and other strategic industries. Six of the best startups will present at the AI Festival in Milan (February 26-27, 2025), organized by WMF in partnership with Bocconi University, Cineca, Intel, and the European Space Agency. The remaining 30 startups will receive free access to the WMF Bologna expo area and the chance to meet investors during B2B meetings.

Strategic Collaborations with Tecnopolo di Bologna A key innovation in the “AI For Future” call is WMF’s collaboration with Bologna’s Tecnopolo and the Metropolitan City of Bologna. Through this partnership, top-performing startups will gain access to the Tecnopolo’s facilities, home to the Leonardo supercomputer, enabling cutting-edge research and technological innovation.

“We are ready to bring our experience overseas with WMF San Francisco, a milestone that solidifies our global vision and fosters new synergies between Europe and the United States,” Lombardo added. “We will continue investing in startup growth and promoting innovation as a driver of development for businesses and communities worldwide, with an even greater focus on AI applications.”

At CES, WMF will also reward the best Italian startups in various industries after evaluating their pitches, granting them priority access to calls within the “WMF For AI 2025” initiative.

WMF - International Fair on Innovation: AI, Tech, and Digital From June 4-6, 2025, WMF – We Make Future returns to BolognaFiere as a certified international fair fully dedicated to innovation. As a globally renowned event, it brings together the best in digital and social innovation, featuring top international players, startups, scaleups, investors, institutions, universities, and non-profits. The 2024 edition welcomed over 70,000 attendees from 90 countries, 700+ sponsors and exhibitors, 1,000+ speakers, 3,000 startups and investors, and over 90 educational stages.

Search On Media Group Since 2004, Search On Media Group has promoted digital culture by managing communities, supporting knowledge-sharing activities, and providing strategic consulting through its Search On Consulting division in Digital Marketing and Digital Transformation for large enterprises. Its Business Unit Education organizes WMF and other educational events, while the hybrid.io platform enables customizable, flexible online, hybrid, and offline events. More information at searchon.it.
For further details: en.wemakefuture.it.

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Search On Media Group
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