The next AI platform may be assembled, not founded

Could the next major AI platform emerge from the acquisition of existing companies? AI roll-ups combine established businesses with shared technology and a plan to transform their operations. The investment proposition rests on improving efficiency and creating growth opportunities across a group of companies.

Ramona Petritz and Herwig Springer examine how this approach extends traditional buy-and-build strategies. Which businesses make suitable acquisition targets? What does it take to integrate AI into their operations and where could a common platform create value that individual companies would struggle to achieve alone?

The keynote also addresses the risks behind the thesis. Integration demands, execution and exit potential all influence the investment case. The central challenge is distinguishing credible operational transformation from financial engineering or a valuation story that the underlying businesses cannot sustain.