What Gruppo Ebano does

Gruppo Ebano is an Italian operational holding company (Ebano S.p.A – Società Benefit) founded in 1991 by Carlo Robiglio and headquartered in Novara, Italy. The group operates through 12 subsidiary companies and 1 sub-holding (Accademia del Cimento) spanning eight operating sectors: trade fair setup and event design (P&P Italia, MACHINA), strategic communication, PR, and digital marketing (BTREES, Weber Shandwick Italy), independent publishing (Interlinea, with over 1,500 titles), corporate training and e-coaching (Gruppo Pragma, operating the i·dive platform and NLP/AI-powered virtual tutor), fintech digital banking (Tot), pet care digital services (PetMe, with over 1 million registered users), and food innovation for the Namibian tourism sector (Your Kitchen). The group maintains operational offices in Italy (Novara, Turin, Biella, Milan, Trieste, Reggio Emilia, Moncalieri) and internationally in Brazil (São Paulo), Spain (Zaragoza), and Namibia (Windhoek).

The group's revenue model is a hybrid of professional services, subscription/recurring fees, advertising, one-time product sales, and transaction fees, with each subsidiary operating its own go-to-market: sales-led B2B for enterprises, enterprise field sales for training and PR, direct-to-consumer for pet services and e-books, and channel partnerships for book distribution through Messaggerie Libri. Disclosed financials include €18 million in group revenue for 2018 (with 800% growth over the prior six years), BTREES revenue exceeding €2 million in 2022 (having doubled in three years with 30% annual growth for five consecutive years), and Interlinea revenue exceeding €800,000 in 2022 from publishing, distribution, and cultural projects. The group holds 120+ employees and collaborators, B Corp certification, ISO 9001/14001/27001 certifications at various subsidiaries, the Rating di Legalità Due Stelle Più from Italy's competition authority, and ELITE program membership with Borsa Italiana. The holding pursues growth through a documented strategy of acquiring high-profile companies, integrating them under a shared governance model, and expanding internationally, with the most recent transactions being the 2022 Gruppo Pragma acquisition and the April 2026 MACHINA Srl acquisition.

Name

Gruppo Ebano

Legal name

Ebano S.p.A – Società Benefit

Website

https://gruppoebano.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gruppo Ebano is an Italian operational holding company that owns 12 subsidiaries across publishing, corporate training, digital marketing, fintech, pet care, food service, trade fair setup, and PR, serving both B2B enterprise clients and B2C consumers primarily in Italy with growing presence in Brazil, Spain, and Namibia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Novara

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Book Publishing and Sales: Interlinea generates revenue through book publishing (over 1,500 titles published), distribution sales via Messaggerie Libri, direct sales, e-book sales (nearly 3,000 e-books sold in 2022), and cultural project design services for international festivals. In 2022, revenue exceeded €800,000.
2. E-learning and E-coaching Subscriptions: Gruppo Pragma generates revenue through customized training projects delivered via LMS and LXP systems, design and delivery of digital training content, and the i·dive e-coaching platform subscription. Serves both private and public organizations across various sectors.
3. Pet Digital Services and Advertising: PetMe monetizes through B2B customized content, podcasts, videos, webinars for partner companies, e-learning platform services, and digital/social media communication consulting. Connects over 1 million registered users with pet sitters.
4. Food Service for Tourism Sector: Your Kitchen generates revenue by designing, consulting, and producing high-quality food for Namibian hotels and lodges through a 360° service. Dishes are produced at its Windhoek facility and delivered to hospitality establishments. Additional revenue from B2B catalog (ready-to-regenerate dishes) and B2C retail market in Namibia.
5. Trade Fair Stand Design and Construction: P&P Italia has specialized since 1984 in development, design, and creation of tailor-made trade fair stands and modular set-up solutions for trade fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Revenue from custom stand design, rental of modular structures, event management, and conference technical services.
6. Digital Communication Agency Services: BTREES generates revenue from cross-media communication strategies, content management, SEO, and advertising services. Revenue exceeded €2 million in 2022, having doubled over three years.
7. Fintech Digital Banking Services: Tot generates revenue through a comprehensive digital banking and financial management platform for Italian businesses, professionals, and third-sector entities. Includes integrated tools for business accounts, payments, corporate cards, and administrative workflows.
8. Communication and PR Services: Weber Shandwick Italy, operating within the Gruppo Ebano, generates revenue from strategic PR, corporate communication, brand marketing, public affairs, crisis management, health communication, and digital transformation consulting services in Italy.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gruppo Ebano (Ebano S.p.A. – Società Benefit) is an Italian operational holding company founded in 1991 in Novara. It operates through 12 subsidiary companies and 1 sub-holding (Accademia del Cimento) across publishing (Interlinea), corporate training and e-coaching (Gruppo Pragma with the i·dive platform), digital marketing (BTREES), pet care digital services (PetMe), trade fair and event design (P&P Italia, MACHINA), food service for tourism (Your Kitchen), fintech and digital banking (Tot), and PR/strategic communication (Weber Shandwick Italy). The holding coordinates governance, strategic direction, and resource sharing across these companies, which retain commercial independence.

Product overview

Gruppo Ebano is a holding company operating through 12 subsidiary companies across multiple sectors. The portfolio includes: Interlinea (publishing), Gruppo Pragma (corporate training with e-learning and the i•dive e-coaching platform), PetMe (pet care digital services), BTREES (digital marketing agency), P&P Italia (trade fair stands), Your Kitchen (food service in Namibia), Weber Shandwick Italy (PR), Tot (fintech), and MACHINA (exhibition design). Accademia del Cimento acts as a sub-holding for startup investments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• i·dive e-coaching platform Cloud-based digital e-coaching platform delivered by Gruppo Pragma, providing scalable coaching programs based on cognitive neuroscience for private and public organizations in B2B and B2B2C settings.
• i·dive Sport Vision Corporate training program developed by Gruppo Pragma that uses sport-derived principles (leadership, teamwork, pressure management, goal orientation) as practical tools for business development.
• Interlinea Book Publishing Independent Italian publishing house operated by Interlinea, publishing over 1,500 titles across literature, culture, art, history, and children's books, distributed in Italian bookstores via Messaggerie Libri and as e-books; cultural project design for international festivals also provided.
• PetMe Digital Pet Care Platform Digital platform operated by PetMe connecting pet owners with pet sitters across Italy, offering editorial content, podcasts, videos, expert information services, nutritional recipes, and B2B customized content for partner companies.
• BTREES Digital Marketing Services Cross-media communication agency services delivered by BTREES, including content management, SEO, advertising, and digital strategy for Italian brands such as Emilgroup, Zegna Baruffa, Banca Sella, and others.
• P&P Italia Trade Fair Stand Design and Construction Custom trade fair stand design, construction, and modular set-up solutions for trade fairs, exhibitions, and conferences, delivered by P&P Italia from its head office near Turin.
• Your Kitchen Food Service for Tourism 360° food service for Namibian hotels and lodges, including menu design, dish production, delivery, and staff training using a proprietary Cook-Chill-Regenerate methodology produced at the Windhoek facility; also sold as a B2B catalog of ready-to-regenerate dishes and in the B2C retail market.
• Tot Digital Banking Platform Comprehensive digital banking and financial management platform for Italian businesses, professionals, and third-sector entities, including business accounts, payments, corporate cards, and administrative workflows.
• Weber Shandwick Italy PR and Strategic Communication Strategic PR, corporate communication, brand marketing, public affairs, crisis management, health communication, and digital transformation consulting services delivered in Italy as part of the global Weber Shandwick network.
• MACHINA Exhibition and Interior Design Setups Exhibition, trade show, museum, and interior design installations and technological setups for cultural projects, delivered by MACHINA Srl.
• Gruppo Pragma Corporate Training and E-learning Services Customized corporate training projects delivered via LMS and LXP systems, design and delivery of digital training content, and the i·dive e-coaching platform subscription, serving private and public organizations across various sectors in Italy and Brazil.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800% revenue growth in 6 years ( Gruppo Ebano)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fondazione CariplocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Gruppo Ebano collaborates with Fondazione Cariplo on the 'Dalla Mia Riva' project (8th edition), supporting youth cultural activities. The project involved the production of 'La Pace di Aristofane' at Nuovo Teatro Faraggiana in Novara, featuring 19 students from Liceo Classico e Linguistico Carlo Alberto.
• FortitudeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFortitude contributed its experience in sport storytelling to the i·dive Sport Vision program developed by Gruppo Pragma (Gruppo Ebano). This partnership created an innovative method that transforms sport principles into practical tools for business development.
• Sellalab (Innovation Hub of Banca Sella Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBTREES was one of the first startups accelerated by Sellalab, the innovation hub of Banca Sella Group. Sellalab provided startup support and acceleration in BTREES's early development phase.
• Messaggerie LibricoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInterlinea books are distributed across Italian bookstores through Messaggerie Libri, a major Italian book distribution company. This is the primary retail distribution channel for Interlinea's publishing output of over 1,500 titles.
• Italian and foreign universitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlinea maintains active collaborations with Italian and foreign universities for academic publishing, cultural projects, and literary events.
• Ministry of Culture (Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlinea publishes two National Editions of the works of Verga and Boiardo, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Culture, alongside publishing international journals such as 'Autografo'.
• AIE-ConfindustriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlinea is affiliated with AIE-Confindustria (Italian Publishers Association affiliated with Confindustria), providing industry representation and support for publishing activities.
• Lucrezia Tangorra FoundationminorOthersGruppo Ebano supports the Lucrezia Tangorra Foundation through its social responsibility program, which focuses on health and social causes.
• UNICEFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlinea supports UNICEF projects through its social publishing initiatives, including projects in pediatric hospitals and reading promotion programs.
• DeloitteminorOthersGruppo Ebano won the Deloitte Best Managed Companies award for two consecutive years (2019-2020), demonstrating organizational excellence in strategy, competencies, and performance.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gruppo 24 ORE: Italian holding combining newspaper publishing (Il Sole 24 Ore), professional training, and financial information services. Comparable to Gruppo Ebano in its hybrid model that pairs publishing with B2B training and information services.
• Qonto: European fintech providing business accounts, payments, and expense management to SMBs and freelancers. Comparable to Tot in targeting Italian SMBs with integrated digital banking and financial administration tools.
• Docebo: AI-powered learning platform serving enterprises with LMS/LXP capabilities. Comparable to Gruppo Pragma's i·dive e-coaching platform in delivering scalable, technology-enabled corporate training and coaching.
• Alkemy: Italian-listed digital transformation company providing marketing, technology, data, and design services to enterprises. Comparable to BTREES in serving Italian enterprise clients with cross-media communication and digital strategy.
• De Agostini: Italian diversified holding company operating across publishing, media, education, and financial services with multiple subsidiaries. Comparable to Gruppo Ebano as a privately held Italian multi-sector holding coordinating brand portfolios and cross-company synergies.
• Pawshake: European pet sitting marketplace connecting pet owners with verified pet sitters across multiple countries. Comparable to PetMe in operating a digital platform that matches pet owners with a national network of pet care providers.
• Class Editori: Italian publishing and financial information group operating newspapers, magazines, and digital media focused on business and luxury audiences. Comparable to Interlinea in operating an independent Italian publishing house with editorial and cultural reach.

Broad incumbents

• Mondadori: Italy's largest publishing group operating books, magazines, and retail bookstores with significantly larger scale. Comparable to Interlinea in book publishing but operates at vastly greater scale and across broader formats.
• WPP: Global communications services holding offering advertising, PR, and media investment management. Comparable to Gruppo Ebano's Weber Shandwick Italy operations in providing strategic PR and corporate communications, though at vastly greater scale and global reach.

Others

• Interpublic Group (IPG): Global advertising and communications holding that is the parent company of the Weber Shandwick brand globally. Comparable as the brand parent/licensor for Gruppo Ebano's Weber Shandwick Italy subsidiary and as a global communications holding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheWSInsightsLab
• Xx.com/Gruppo_Ebano
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gruppo-ebano

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Gruppo Ebano