Amsterdam-based Prosus, a global technology company, announced the launch of AI House Amsterdam, a state-of-the-art innovation hub designed to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and development in AI.
It is based out of the company’s headquarters in the Zuidas business district.
“With AI House Amsterdam, we are doing what Europe urgently needs: bringing together ambition, talent and capital to shape the future of AI,’ says Fabricio Bloisi, CEO of Prosus. “Europe has the bright minds and the start-ups. And at Prosus, we are doing our part with our ambition to become the first European tech company with a value of one trillion dollars.”
Prosus invests over $100M annually in artificial intelligence (AI), with a growing portion going to Europe.
By focusing on talent and resources in Amsterdam, Prosus aims to support the Netherlands in becoming a leader in AI.
Why Amsterdam?
According to a recent report from Prosus, the Netherlands has the potential to excel in AI.
The country holds 8 per cent of Europe’s AI talent, despite making up only 2.4 per cent of the population, says the report.
Around 37 per cent of this talent is in Amsterdam, which has about 7,000 professionals and ranks fifth among AI centres in Europe, the report adds.
With the launch of AI House Amsterdam, Prosus aims to build the future of AI in Europe. The AI Marketplace and other events will be held there, with the hub expected to open later this year.
‘We welcome Prosus’ initiative,’ says Maarten Cleeren, managing director of Techleap, which collaborated on the research report. “It is a valuable addition to the Dutch AI ecosystem. It ties in well with the broader effort we are making with partners to set up a national AI hub led by founders and providing a physical home base for top AI ventures, talent and ecosystem partners in the Netherlands. Strengthening the ecosystem requires effort, and we look forward to further expanding this shared foundation in the coming year.”
Prosus: A global consumer internet group
Prosus is a global consumer internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world.
It invests in over 100 companies around the globe, focusing on building strong e-commerce leaders in growing markets.
Prosus already operates one of the world’s largest AI communities, with over 750 specialists working across a global network of innovation centres in Amsterdam, Berlin, Bangalore, Cape Town, and São Paul.
This ecosystem focuses on both technology and community. Last year, the annual AI Marketplace conference drew more than 12,000 attendees.
Earlier this year, Prosus hosted over 1,000 visitors at Prosus Luminate in India, which is known for its advancements in AI.
The company has invested more than $10B in food delivery, showing a strong commitment to this industry.
Its food delivery businesses operate in more than 70 countries and serve over 1 million restaurants.
The company fully owns iFood, the top food delivery service in Latin America.
It also has stakes in several major companies: 28 per cent in Delivery Hero, around 4 per cent in Meituan (the largest food delivery company in the world), and 25 per cent in Swiggy, India’s
leading food and grocery delivery platform.
‘We welcome Prosus’ initiative,’ says Maarten Cleeren, managing director of Techleap, which collaborated on the research report. “It is a valuable addition to the Dutch AI ecosystem. It ties in well with the broader effort we are making with partners to set up a national AI hub led by founders and providing a physical home base for top AI ventures, talent and ecosystem partners in the Netherlands. Strengthening the ecosystem requires effort, and we look forward to further expanding this shared foundation in the coming year.”
