Bending Spoons CEO Luca Ferrari on AOL acquisition: The company 'holds a lot of promise'

Acquisition & Strategy - Bending Spoons acquires digital technology businesses with untapped potential, aiming to transform them for improved performance [3] - The company's strategy involves rewriting code, re-architecting cloud infrastructure, redesigning UI, optimizing monetization and marketing, and re-architecting the organization [4] - Bending Spoons operates as a mix of private equity (25%) and a technology company (75%), focusing on long-term operation and development of digital products [4][5] - Bending Spoons has acquired over 50 businesses and intends to hold them long-term, using generated cash flow for further acquisitions and platform strengthening [18][19] AOL's Potential & Transformation - AOL still attracts and retains a large user base, with 8 million daily and 30 million monthly users across its email client and web portal [6] - Bending Spoons plans to improve AOL's technology and user experience, including leveraging AI to enhance recommendations on the web portal [8] - The company aims to close the gap between AOL's email client and best-in-class products, benefiting millions of users [10] - Bending Spoons intends to both retain existing AOL customers and attract new ones by improving the product [11][12][13] Bending Spoons' Business Model - Bending Spoons' toolkit for improving acquired businesses includes enhancing user interface, technological infrastructure, monetization, and cost base [16][17] - The company's ultimate strategy is to improve businesses and hold onto the cash flow they generate [18]