Call

PLAI is opening applications for 2026, targeting high-potential, AI-driven startups interested in accessing investment opportunities and developing collaborations with the Mondadori Group.

The selection process will remain open throughout the year. Each application will be assessed based on the actual value of the solution, its level of maturity and its strategic fit with the Mondadori Group. This approach enables PLAI to evaluate startups on an ongoing basis and to accelerate the transition from experimentation to implementation.

For interested startups, key evaluation criteria will include the degree of innovation of the AI solution and its potential for integration and cooperation within the Mondadori Group ecosystem. The level of collaboration and the final investment will be determined according to each startup’s potential. 

“The 2026 Call represents not only an investment opportunity, but also a privileged access point for high-potential, AI-driven startups interested in collaborating with the Mondadori Group,” said Stefano Argiolas, Chief Executive Officer of PLAI and Chief AI Officer of the Mondadori Group. “For us, true fit is based on two key elements: genuine innovation – technological, product-based or business-model-driven – and the real possibility of integrating the proposed solution with our platforms, brands and processes. This flexible approach, combined with an ‘always-on’ selection model, allows us to quickly identify and activate the most promising collaborations, accelerating the entry of the most deserving startups into our ecosystem,” Argiolas concluded.

What’s new for 2026

Building on the experience rapidly gained in this field – with over one thousand applications received in the previous two years and 16 startups accelerated – 2026 marks an evolution in PLAI’s model. The accelerator is strengthening its market positioning as a continuous open-innovation platform, focused on creating industrial value through structured collaborations with the Mondadori Group. In this context, PLAI aims to identify startups with which to develop innovation projects, Proofs of Concept and solutions applied to real business contexts.

As part of this strategic evolution, PLAI will also launch an experimental phase through the creation of a Venture Builder to explore the development of new entrepreneurial initiatives starting from concrete industrial needs. PLAI will offer the Mondadori Group the opportunity to create new products or services based on business-unit requirements, co-financing, where appropriate, the establishment of dedicated NewCo to develop and scale the identified solutions.

Strategic areas of interest

PLAI’s goal is to develop AI solutions applicable to the Mondadori Group’s reference markets, with particular focus on the following areas:

• Education, with an emphasis on the digital learning and edtech sectors;
• Retail, covering customer experience, demand management and logistics;
• New Media & Advertising, specifically content, audience growth and optimisation, and advertising solutions;
• Publishing, with a focus on optimising editorial workflows, distribution and engagement;
• Corporate, including planning and control, administration, procurement, supplier management and legal functions.

What PLAI offers selected startups:

• up to €300,000 in equity investment (including initial investment and follow-on) to accelerate growth;
• up to €100,000 for Proofs of Concept and pilot projects, co-development initiatives and experimentation in real business contexts within the Mondadori Group;
• direct access to corporate expertise, real use cases and co-development opportunities;
• strategic and operational support aimed at delivering concrete projects;

Partners

In 2026, PLAI will be supported by Italian and international partners including Amazon Web Services (AWS), ElevenLabs, Fastweb+Vodafone, I3P, IFAB, Multiversity, PwC Italia, Startupbootcamp and StartupItalia.

📌 Full details and the application form are available at:
👉 https://www.plai-accelerator.com/call-2026/

PLAI is the Mondadori Group’s startup accelerator, supporting AI-driven startups with the aim of transforming innovative solutions into concrete entrepreneurial projects, fostering integration between technology, markets and real industrial contexts. Operating as a platform for open innovation and industrial collaboration, PLAI offers selected startups the opportunity to develop Proofs of Concept, co-development projects and applied initiatives in synergy with the Mondadori Group and its ecosystem. Active in the Early-Stage and Growth phases, PLAI selects and invests in Italian and international startups, providing capital, corporate expertise and access to real use cases, with flexible, tailor-made support focused on value creation and real-world adoption of solutions.