Press Release | Gütersloh, 11/24/2020

Bertelsmann Forges Ahead With Technology Initiatives

• 500 Bertelsmann tech experts network during virtual Data Week
• Global record number of applicants for tech scholarships offered in Bertelsmann’s #50000Chances initiative
• Social Media Day virtually brings together professionals from all Bertelsmann divisions

Bertelsmann, the international media, services, and education company, is driving forward networking and knowledge transfer in the field of emerging technologies both within and beyond the Group. Last week, for example, some 500 Tech & Data specialists from across all corporate divisions came together to exchange information and expertise during a virtual “Data Week 2020.” On four days, they devoted themselves to key technologies such as cloud computing, data analysis, and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as current IT projects within the Group, in live-streamed keynote speeches and digital workshops. The headline event of “Data Week” was the launch of a Bertelsmann Collaboration Platform, on which Bertelsmann companies will exchange information about newly developed IT solutions, tools, algorithms, applications and software programs worldwide. The idea is to make existing expertise available to everyone, to provide ideas, and offer specific solutions. Parallel to “Data Week,” a hackathon was held in which 18 experts from various corporate divisions worked on solutions for real-life business cases from the Group.

Rolf Hellermann, Head of the Tech & Data Advisory Board and designated CFO of Bertelsmann, said: “New technologies and large volumes of data are key factors for Bertelsmann’s economic success going forward. To master these challenges, we will need to move even closer together. Events like our ‘Data Week’ and the new Collaboration Platform create the conditions for the necessary technological transformation across all divisions.”

Beyond this, Bertelsmann is giving away 50,000 scholarships for Udacity courses in the fields of Cloud, Data and AI in a three-year program to get more people worldwide excited about future technologies and alleviate the shortage of IT specialists. After the first round in 2019 generated close to 46,000 applications, the second round has now drawn a record number of more than 60,000 applications from 187 countries. Of the two-year total of over 100,000 applications, about 4,000 were from Bertelsmann employees. Bertelsmann once again promoted the #50000Chances scholarship initiative with a wide-ranging image campaign that has reached more than 34 million people to date.

In mid-November, more than 200 social media professionals from all Bertelsmann divisions also met for the Group’s 7th Social Media Day, which for the first time took place exclusively in the digital realm. They discussed successful strategies and initiatives such as the Chefkoch food platform’s TikTok channel, BMG Production Music’s “Smart Music for Social Media,” and Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s social media concept. The highlight was a live performance by BMG artist Baghiira.

Bertelsmann gives visibility to the social media offerings of its companies, publishers, editorial offices, and brands in a Social Cloud (https://socialcloud.bertelsmann.com  ), which currently aggregates more than 12,000 social media channels from around the world, which together have some 3.4 billion followers.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 126,000 employees and generated revenues of €18.0 billion in the 2019 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.