What Will Media does

Will Media, legally BE CONTENT s.r.l., is an Italian independent digital media company headquartered in Milan that builds a data-driven editorial platform targeting Millennials and Gen Z audiences across Italy. Founded in January 2020, the company publishes a portfolio of podcasts (The Essential, Actually, Globally, Città) and produces documentaries (Junk with Sky, One Day One Day), live events (Future4Cities festival), educational services (New Media Academy joint venture with Chora Media), and branded content campaigns. It reaches approximately 5 million people monthly across eight distribution platforms—Instagram (1.8M followers), TikTok (669K), YouTube (260K subscribers), Facebook (391K), LinkedIn (244K), Spotify (111K), Apple Podcasts (91K), and Amazon Music (46K)—and won the Premiolino journalism award in 2022.

The core technology stack centers on multi-platform content production and distribution rather than proprietary software. Distribution is achieved through organic presence on consumer social platforms supplemented by owned surfaces (newsletters, willmedia.it, makers.willmedia.it). Will operates a hybrid business model: (1) branded content partnerships and co-productions with enterprise clients (Assogestioni, Adecco, Iliad, Banca Investis, Save the Children, Ecoeridania, Sky, KPMG, UniCredit, UBS, BCG, Generali, Sanofi, EY, Pfizer, and 25+ others across finance, insurance, telecoms, pharma, energy, and broadcasting) represent the dominant revenue stream; (2) the Will Makers paid membership program (launched September 2023) introduces recurring subscription revenue from individual supporters; (3) New Media Academy courses and documentary ticketing (e.g., One Day One Day at €3 per ticket) provide ancillary income.

In September 2022 Will merged with Chora Media, a podcast production company, forming an integrated digital editorial pole led by CEO Riccardo Haupt since 2023. The merged entity continues to operate the Will Media brand alongside Chora's podcast portfolio, with Riccardo Bassetto leading e-learning product development and Paolo Bovio serving as managing editor. No institutional venture capital or private equity funding has been disclosed; the company appears to have scaled through retained earnings from branded content partnerships.

Name

Will Media

Legal name

BE CONTENT s.r.l.

Website

https://willmedia.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Will Media is an Italian independent digital media company that produces data-driven podcasts, documentaries, and social content reaching 5 million Millennials and Gen Z monthly. It monetizes through branded content partnerships with 30+ enterprise brands, a paid Will Makers membership, and the New Media Academy joint venture with Chora Media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media and Branded Content Services

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Community-Integrated Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Branded Content & Sponsorship Licensing (Integrations, Product Placement) (MPABANAH), Distribution Feeds & Syndication (Partner Delivery, APIs, Feeds) (MPAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Digital media production
• Branded content campaigns
• Podcast production services
• Data-driven journalism
• Social media storytelling

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Branded content partnerships: Will Media creates custom content campaigns for brands that share their values. These multi-platform campaigns include social media content, podcasts, documentaries, and live events. Examples include partnerships with Assogestioni (2Cents), Adecco, Iliad, Save the Children, and others.
2. Will Makers membership: Monthly membership program supporting Will's editorial work. Members receive exclusive content, special events, and meetups with the team. Recurring subscription revenue from community supporters.
3. New Media Academy courses: Educational offerings developed with Chora teaching podcast creation, digital content, and social media journalism. Revenue from course fees.
4. Documentary tickets and sales: Sale of documentary viewing access (e.g., One Day One Day at 3€ per ticket) and related content products.
5. Documentary co-production: Co-production of documentaries with partners like Sky (Junk) and A Thing By, sometimes with ticket-based access models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Will Media produces data-driven editorial content including podcasts, documentaries, and social media journalism distributed across eight platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Facebook, LinkedIn) to a community of approximately 5 million monthly users. Its primary commercial offering is custom branded content campaigns created for enterprise partners (such as Assogestioni, Sky, Adecco, Iliad, Save the Children, KPMG, and UniCredit), co-producing podcasts, documentaries, social media content, and live events rooted in shared values between Will's community and partner brands.

Product overview

Will Media is a digital media company and content platform that reaches 5 million people monthly across social platforms. The portfolio centers on a podcast network including news (The Essential), innovation (Actually), geopolitics (Globally), and urban topics (Città by Future4Cities), complemented by documentaries (One Day One Day, Junk), educational services (New Media Academy, Educast), a personal finance community (2Cents with Assogestioni), events (Future4Cities Festival), and a membership program (Will Makers). Content is distributed across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, and other social platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Essential: Italian and international news in ten minutes
• Actually
• Globally
• Città
• Future4Cities
• Junk
• One Day One Day
• Querelle
• Politica Netflix
• Educast

Products and services

• The Essential Daily news podcast delivering Italian and international news in ten minutes; became Italy's most-listened news podcast in 2022.
• Actually Podcast exploring the changing world through expert interviews and stories covering technology, innovation, geopolitics, sustainability, and history.
• Globally Podcast explaining world affairs and geopolitics in a clear and accessible manner.
• Città by Future4Cities Videopodcast exploring urban transformations and cities that are changing, featuring urban planning, architecture, and sustainability experts.
• 2Cents Personal finance and economics community built with Assogestioni, featuring social content, educational Reels, and the Ramini podcast on savings and investment.
• One Day One Day Documentary co-produced with A Thing By telling the lives of agricultural workers in Borgo Mezzanone and addressing labor exploitation; available for 3€ tickets with proceeds funding Scuola Fatoma.
• Junk Docuseries co-produced with Sky exploring the environmental and social impact of fast fashion worldwide; distributed on YouTube.
• Future4Cities Festival Festival exploring, designing, and imagining the innovations changing Italian cities, organized with L'Eco della Stampa.
• New Media Academy Educational school developed with Chora teaching podcasting, digital content creation, and platform journalism at basic and advanced levels, sold via course fees.
• Will Makers Monthly membership program offering supporters access to exclusive content, special events, and meetups with the Will team in exchange for financial support.
• Educast Tool for preparing for university exams through case studies narrated by Will voices.
• Querelle Board game co-created with Clementoni to bridge the gap between citizens and politics, sold via Amazon Italy.
• Politica Netflix Book analyzing how social media are changing information, engagement, and public demonstration, sold via Totem Books.
• Branded content campaigns Custom multi-platform branded content campaigns produced for enterprise partners (e.g., Assogestioni, Sky, Adecco, Iliad, Save the Children, Ecoeridania, Banca Investis, KPMG), including social media content, podcasts, documentaries, and live events rooted in shared values between Will's community and partner brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 million people reached monthly
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chora MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Will Media merged with Chora Media in September 2022 to create a new digital editorial pole dedicated to high-quality journalistic and narrative content production. This merger combined Will's social media expertise and audience with Chora's podcast production capabilities, creating one of Italy's leading digital media companies. Riccardo Haupt serves as CEO of both entities.
• AssogestionicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilt the 2Cents personal finance and economics community from zero to 100K followers in two years. Created social media content, educational Reels on Instagram and TikTok, launched the Ramini podcast with savings and investment tips, and organized live events and workshops connecting online and offline audiences.
• AdeccocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProduced a documentary and tour showcasing Italian business excellence and innovation across various sectors. Campaign explored what distinguishes successful companies in global competition. Content distributed on YouTube with accompanying event tour and social media stream.
• IliadcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSTEM education campaign including podcast, social media campaign, and live events across four Italian cities. Objective to attract more students to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects through engaging content.
• Banca InvestisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong Run podcast spin-off from Actually podcast, exploring future finance topics including space economy and future of automation. Six episodes with industry experts targeting the existing Actually community with more specialized content.
• Save the ChildrencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign highlighting creativity and participation in urban peripheries. Listened to voices of communities living in these territories to promote a co-design intervention model involving youth, communities, institutions, schools, associations, businesses, and social enterprises.
• EcoeridaniaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMezzo Pieno podcast exploring sustainability beyond polarization and ideology. Stories of innovation and transformation from research labs, local communities, startups, and large companies in transition. A hopeful vision of those building concrete alternatives.
• A Thing BycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of One Day One Day documentary about agricultural labor and caporalato in Italy. The documentary proceeds fund the Scuola Fatoma, teaching Italian at Borgo Mezzanone in memory of Tomas, one of the film's protagonists.
• SkycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of Junk docuseries exploring the impact of fast fashion on environment and people worldwide. Documentary content distributed on YouTube, showcasing environmental and social consequences of fashion industry.
• ClementoniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creation of Querelle political board game with Clementoni to shorten distances between citizens and politics. First book published analyzing how social media is changing information, engagement, and public participation.
• ChoracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Media Academy is a joint venture between Chora and Will, offering courses in social media, podcasting, video production, and digital journalism at both basic and advanced levels. Educational platform for aspiring content creators.
• Future4CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival exploring innovations changing Italian cities, in collaboration with L'Eco della Stampa. Part of Città podcast exploring urban transformation, architecture, sustainability, and future city planning.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Vox Media: Multi-brand digital media operator combining editorial verticals, podcast networks, and branded content studios. Mirrors Will Media's structure of editorial plus commercial content production across formats.
• Forbes Italia: Italian edition of a global business media brand with multi-platform content and a branded-content/events business. Comparable mix of editorial and commercial content monetization.
• Wired Italia: Established Italian edition of a global tech and culture publication. Comparable in audience and digital-first content, but with a longer history and larger editorial team.
• Sky TG24: Italian 24-hour news broadcaster (Sky) producing video news and podcasts. Competes for the same news-attentive Italian audience and advertising spend, with significantly larger production resources.
• VICE Media: Global digital media company targeting Millennials and GenZ through multi-platform editorial and branded content. Closely comparable business model and audience strategy, but at far greater scale and with broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Il Post: Italian digital-first news outlet with a focus on clear, accessible journalism and a strong direct audience. Closely comparable to Will Media in audience target, distribution model, and editorial ambition.
• Valigia Blu: Italian digital journalism project focused on quality reporting and media criticism. Comparable in editorial standards and digital-first distribution, though smaller scale.
• Fanpage.it: One of Italy's largest digital-native news brands, with strong social video and a GenZ-leaning audience. Directly comparable multi-platform content model and target demographic.
• Linkiesta: Italian digital news magazine with a paid membership model and in-depth journalism. Comparable audience and subscription-led monetization, though more text-focused.
• The Post Internazionale (TPI): Italian digital news outlet with strong social-media presence and a younger audience. Overlaps with Will Media on platform-native news distribution and branded content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sandrotomma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Actually_pod/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/willmedia.it
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willmedia-it
• Instagraminstagram.com/willmedia.it
• TikToktiktok.com/@willmedia.it

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Will Media