Deda Ai Brings Artificial Intelligence to Sports with Derthona Basket
Deda Ai, a Deda Group company specializing in the development of artificial intelligence solutions for optimizing and innovating business processes, is the new Official Innovation Partner of Derthona Basket.
Starting in the 2026/2027 season, the partnership will give life to new AI projects applied to the world of sport, with the aim of reaching new audiences and enriching the fan experience, experimenting with new ways of interacting between technology, clubs, and the community.
The goal is to promote the development of an area where the two souls of this project reside: at the historic Deda headquarters in Tortona and through the brand new Cittadella dello Sport – inaugurated by the Gavio Group in 2025 – which within its 71.000 square meters includes the Nova Arena, the official court of Derthona Basket and one of the most modern and innovative sports facilities in Italy, capable of reaching a unique catchment area, with 17 provincial capitals reachable in just 90 minutes, for over 14 million inhabitants.
Deda Ai will provide the team and the sports club with its expertise to develop digital services for fans and enthusiasts, offering increasingly personalized interaction and leveraging the wealth of data, statistics, and content built up over the history of Derthona Basket.
Among the initial activities, a joint feasibility study with the Club will explore new services based on Agentica AI. If validated, these services could be gradually integrated into the Club's digital channels and made available during home matches, offering new ways to access Club information, content, and statistics. The collaboration will also include an editorial and storytelling program dedicated to exploring the potential of data, analytics, and AI in the world of sports, highlighting how increasingly intelligent information management can support more effective decisions, from analyzing sports performances to better understanding fans, and even developing higher-value experiences and services for sponsors, partners, and the community.
The project was born from the merger of two Italian companies united by a long-term vision and a strong connection to the communities in which they operate. On one side, Deda, led by the Podini family, is a leading technology group in Italy with over 5200 employees and operating internationally, accelerating the business and digitalization of over 4.000 clients. On the other, Derthona Basket, led by the Gavio family and a key player in a growth journey that has made it one of the leading clubs in Italian basketball.
" The Northwest represents one of the main drivers of Italian innovation and manufacturing. Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen our dialogue with an ecosystem that has always invested in skills, research, and development, using sport as a meeting place for technology, businesses, and communities. This project embodies Deda Ai's approach to innovation: creating connections, generating value, and supporting the growth of the communities in which it operates ," emphasized Marco Bellinzona, CEO of Deda Ai.
" The Derthona Basket platform aims to be a point of reference for its local area, a gathering place, and a growth engine capable of building connections and generating value for the community it represents. We are proud that Deda Ai, a company deeply rooted in our local area, has chosen to join us as Official Innovation Partner. Their presence represents a further step in the Club's innovation journey and will help strengthen an increasingly fan-centric vision, putting technology at the service of our fans' experience and our relationship with our community ," said Edoardo Biganzoli, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Derthona Basket.
The partnership with Derthona Basket is part of the Deda Group's continued expansion in the Northwest, one of the country's most concentrated industrial, manufacturing, and technological areas. With over 1500 employees, 11 offices, and its own innovation hubs in Turin, Roddi (Cuneo), Ivrea (Turin), and Tortona (Alessandria), the Group supports businesses and organizations in their digital transformation journeys, developing expertise and relationships with the local economic and institutional system.
In this context, the collaboration between Deda Ai and Derthona Basket represents a further opportunity to strengthen dialogue with one of the country's most dynamic ecosystems, helping to promote a culture of open, shared innovation that is increasingly closer to communities.
Dedagroup
Dedagroup (Deda) is one of Italy's leading technology groups. It operates as a Business & Technology Accelerator for companies, financial institutions, and public services to support the evolution of their IT and digital strategies. Over the years, Deda has built an ecosystem of companies that share values, business strategies, and a common vision of leveraging the power of dedication to help their clients reap the benefits of digital evolution, thus enhancing the positive impact of technology on the economy and society. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Trento, the Group employs over 5000 people and has grown steadily both in Italy and abroad. Today, it has a global presence with over 4.000 clients in over 50 countries and offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. www.deda.group
Deda Ai
Deda Ai is the Deda Group company specializing in the development of Artificial Intelligence solutions aimed at improving human decisions. Through proprietary algorithms and machine learning models capable of supporting the transformation and optimization of complex business processes, Deda Ai is committed to creating understandable and responsible AI for business. Present in the financial, corporate, and energy markets since 1996, the company develops end-to-end projects and solutions for the complete management of business processes, fostering the development of a data culture and a comprehensive and automated approach to data intelligence.
Derthona Basketball
Derthona Basket is now one of the leading clubs in Italian basketball, consistently at the highest levels of Serie A and also competing on the European stage. In recent years, the club has experienced exponential growth, earning promotion to Serie A in 2021, reaching the Coppa Italia final twice, and participating in the Basketball Champions League in two editions. Starting in the 2026/27 season, Derthona Basket will once again be a key player in Europe with a multi-year license to participate in the EuroCup, one of the European competitions organized by EuroLeague Basketball, further consolidating its growth and positioning among the most ambitious clubs in Italian basketball.
