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We hosted a PPA Demo Day on Thursday 18 September (9.00 – 11.30am), in collaboration with Faversham House and Merit Data & Technology, to explore how to turn data into the next growth engine.  

Data has always been a key ingredient in digital products. While complex, when applied effectively it greatly enhanced the consumer experience. With that in mind, we invited publishers to showcase their latest applications of data models, their use of AI to enrich user experiences, and how they connected trusted editorial content with data workflows.  

This demo day was ideal for those who wanted to develop new revenue streams, increase the visibility of their content, or better understand the needs of their audience through data. The event brought together the strategies, partners, and technologies that made this possible.  

Through presentations and demos, we showcased:  

Understanding customer intent
We demonstrated how forward-thinking publishers were harnessing behavioural data and search intent to design smarter, more useful products – from tailored content experiences to commercial data services that genuinely served user needs.  

Using AI to extract & enrich content
Attendees explored tools that enabled AI-powered metadata layering, categorisation, and tagging to create data-rich products for their audiences. We showed how AI amplified discoverability across platforms, products, and audiences.  

Monetising existing content stores
We highlighted how content could be treated as a true asset – and how publishers were monetising it to its full potential. Demos included ways to repackage and repurpose content for licensing, subscription add-ons, data products, and more – all without reinventing the wheel. 

Speakers

Matthew Hempstead, Commissioning Editor, Springwise 

As commissioning editor for Springwise, Matthew oversees the curation of the Springwise innovation database, which contains over 15,000 positive impact solutions from across the globe. He therefore has a unique insight into the latest trends in climate technology and positive impact innovation. In addition to the database, he leads Springwise’s deep dives into specific technology areas, regularly interviewing founders and academic experts tackling some of the biggest challenges relating to the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Sowmya Vivek, Principal Consultant – AI Solutioning, Merit Data & Technology

Sowmya Vivek is an AI Solutioning Consultant and GenAI Strategist, specializing in Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and intelligent information extraction. With deep expertise in NLP, Deep Learning, and data analytics, she enables organizations to move from AI experimentation to enterprise-scale adoption across diverse sectors. Sowmya is passionate about turning unstructured data into meaningful insights and designing AI-powered workflows that deliver impact. 

Carl Myers, Chief Technology Officer, Faversham House 

Carl Myers is the Chief Technology Officer at Faversham House, where he leads the company’s digital development and transformation initiatives. He is also responsible for their AI taskforce and internal sustainability action group, drawing on his background in journalism, translation, and extensive digital media experience.  

Thomas Lake, Product & Technology Director, InfoPro Digital

Thomas is director of product and technology at Infopro Digital. He has over 15 years’ experience in B2B publishing, holding roles in marketing, product management and technology leadership. He has spearheaded a number of global digital transformation initiatives, as well as built and launched advertising and subscription products in multiple markets.

Mel McVeigh,
Strategic Consultant (Digital Product), PPA

Who attended?

The event brought together publishers, editorial leaders, marketing managers, data and analytics teams, and product and revenue heads — all focused on unlocking the value of data to drive growth.

Attendees joined to:

Connect with strategic partners to help turn data strategies into action

Gain inspiration from real-world use cases shared by industry peers and technology experts

Discover scalable ways to grow revenue without starting from scratch

Case Studies

Faversham House: How we used AI to extract & enrich content

Merit Group: Extract. Enrich. Engage. Turning Publishing Archives into Intelligent Assets
Much of a publisher’s most valuable content often sits hidden in archives, disconnected from today’s audiences. This session challenged that status quo, demonstrating how forward-thinking publishers deployed intelligent frameworks to surface hidden insights, connect stories across time, and transform static content into dynamic, revenue-generating products.

We explored practical, scalable approaches that not only extended the shelf-life of content but also positioned it as a living, evolving resource for readers, partners, and commercial teams alike.