NEW YORK CITY — CloserStill Media agreed to acquire a majority stake in Ai4, a cross-industry AI event. This will be the organizer’s first major technology event in the U.S. and will enable its U.S. business to launch and scale a tech portfolio in North America.
Ai4 serves as a platform for AI experts and business leaders, and explores the full AI value chain, from infrastructure to applications. Co-Founders Michael Weiss and Marcus Jecklin launched the event with Michelle Troop, its Chief Revenue Officer & Head of Partnerships, in 2019.
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“The AI sector is growing rapidly and Ai4 is the leader in the U.S.,” Yancy Weinrich, CloserStill President North America, said. “The quality of the event and the quality of the management team are excellent and these are the key factors that CloserStill looks for when evaluating events. We are excited to partner with Ai4. We choose [to acquire] events with strong value propositions, the ability to rapidly grow and expertise in its management teams. Ai4 has all these ingredients. We look to be able to support with our global tech expertise, and share best practices across the group to enable them to better serve their customers and operationalize for the future. The event has strong potential in a space that is wide open. This excites us!”
“We are delighted to be working with the team at Ai4 to accelerate its growth even further,” CloserStill CEO Gareth Bowhill stated. “The Co-Founders and team have built an outstanding platform, and we are committed to accelerating its future together with them. This acquisition marks a significant strategic step for CloserStill by expanding our global technology portfolio deeper into the North American market.”
Ai4’s next edition is scheduled for Aug. 11-13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and expected to see more than 8,000 delegates, more than 250 exhibitors and host more than 600 speakers in more than 50 conference tracks. In 2026, Ai4 will move to the Venetian Las Vegas to accommodate its growth.
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