Sapere Aude Editori

Sapere Aude Editori (abbreviated SAE) is an Italian publishing house and media company active in newspaper publishing and marketing. Its Latin name means "Dare to know," an exhortation attributed to the German philosopher Immanuel Kant and widely regarded as the motto of the Enlightenment. The group positions itself as a media company built around quality local information, combining print and digital titles with a stated ambition to restore confidence in daily newspaper publishing by starting from local communities. The company was founded in 2020, when the Abruzzo entrepreneur Alberto Leonardis assembled a consortium of investors to acquire four local daily newspapers from the GEDI group: Gazzetta di Modena, Gazzetta di Reggio, La Nuova Ferrara and Il Tirreno (Livorno). Leonardis's partners included figures from real estate, retail, distribution, finance, audiovisual and communications backgrounds. In the areas where it acquired newspapers, SAE typically holds 51 percent, leaving 49 percent to local partners. SAE expanded its portfolio over the following years. In 2022 it added La Nuova Sardegna (Sassari). In May 2025 it acquired the historic Roman daily Paese Sera, and in the same month it agreed to buy the Lombard daily La Provincia Pavese from GEDI, completing the deal in July. In March 2026 the group announced the acquisition, again from GEDI, of the historic Turin daily La Stampa, together with related titles, digital operations, the printing centre, the local advertising sales network and editorial support activities. With this operation SAE became the third-largest Italian publishing group after RCS MediaGroup and GEDI, ahead of Monrif in fourth place. In September 2026 the group carried out its first divestment, selling Il Tirreno. As of the group's own description, SAE publishes seven daily newspapers and seven websites: La Stampa, La Provincia Pavese, Il Tirreno, La Nuova Sardegna, La Nuova Ferrara, Gazzetta di Modena and Gazzetta di Reggio. The group describes these as historic titles with a glorious past, rooted in territories with enormous social, cultural and economic resources. With the acquisition of La Stampa, a national daily founded in 1867 and among the most authoritative in Italy, the group says it strengthened its presence in the Italian media landscape, adding a national reference voice to its leadership in local information. Beyond publishing, SAE is active in marketing. In 2024 it acquired the brands Next14 and Different, creating the "Next Different Uniting" group within the Holding Italiana di Comunicazione, majority-controlled by the publishing group. The group presents itself as pursuing new lines of development beyond print and web information, describing its activities as genuine industrial development assets intended to bring value, training and innovation to the publishing world.

Sapere Aude Editori (SAE) is an Italian publishing house founded in 2020. Its Latin name means "Dare to know," an exhortation attributed to Immanuel Kant and considered today the motto of the Enlightenment. The group is active in publishing and marketing. The company was created in 2020 when Alberto Leonardis, an Abruzzo entrepreneur, formed a consortium to acquire four local daily newspapers from the GEDI group: Gazzetta di Modena, Gazzetta di Reggio, La Nuova Ferrara and Il Tirreno (Livorno). Leonardis's partners included the Tuscan real estate figure Maurizio Berrighi (Berrighi Costruzioni), responsible for real estate and institutional relations in Tuscany; Pietro Peligra (Portobello large stores), responsible for innovation and audiovisual; Luca Santini (Masini & Santini distribution), a distributor in Tuscany; Massimo Briolini, financial director; Giulio Fascetti (Zona Franca edizioni), operations director; Davide Cilli (Nexitalia, energy, telecommunications, transport), responsible for organisation and personnel; and Alberto Tivoli (Life, communication). In all the areas where it acquired newspapers, SAE holds 51 percent, leaving 49 percent to local partners. In 2022 the group added La Nuova Sardegna (Sassari) to its portfolio. On 20 May 2025 it acquired the title of the Roman daily Paese Sera from Massimiliano Picardi. On 23 May 2025 the purchase of the Lombard daily La Provincia Pavese from the GEDI group was agreed, and the deal was completed in July. On 4 March 2026 the acquisition of the historic Turin daily La Stampa, again from GEDI, was announced. The agreement also included the related titles, digital activities, the printing centre, the commercial network for local advertising sales, and staff and editorial support activities. With this operation SAE became the third Italian publishing group after RCS MediaGroup and GEDI, ahead of Monrif in fourth place. After a chain of acquisitions came the first divestment: in September 2026 Il Tirreno was sold. In marketing, in 2024 SAE acquired the brands Next14 and Different, creating the "Next Different Uniting" group within the Holding Italiana di Comunicazione, majority-controlled by the publishing group itself. According to the group's own description, SAE publishes seven daily newspapers and seven websites: La Stampa, La Provincia Pavese, Il Tirreno, La Nuova Sardegna, Gazzetta di Modena, Gazzetta di Reggio and La Nuova Ferrara. It describes these as historic titles with a glorious past, widespread and rooted in territories with enormous social, cultural and economic resources. With the acquisition of La Stampa, a national daily founded in 1867 and among the most authoritative in Italy, the group says it strengthened its presence in the Italian publishing landscape, adding a national reference voice to its leadership in local information. The group presents itself as an integrated publishing reality that values its bond with communities while keeping an open gaze on Italy and the world, and as pursuing new lines of development beyond print and web information, treating its activities as genuine industrial development assets to bring value, training and innovation to publishing.

• 2024

  SAE acquires the brands Next14 and Different, creating the "Next Different Uniting" group within the Holding Italiana di Comunicazione.

• 2022

  La Nuova Sardegna (Sassari) is added to the group's portfolio.

• 2020

  Sapere Aude Editori is founded when Alberto Leonardis forms a consortium to acquire four local dailies from GEDI: Gazzetta di Modena, Gazzetta di Reggio, La Nuova Ferrara and Il Tirreno.

• The title of the Roman daily Paese Sera is acquired from Massimiliano Picardi.

• The purchase of the Lombard daily La Provincia Pavese from GEDI is agreed; the deal is completed in July.

• The acquisition of the historic Turin daily La Stampa from GEDI is announced, making SAE the third-largest Italian publishing group after RCS MediaGroup and GEDI.

• Il Tirreno is sold, the group's first divestment after a chain of acquisitions.

A media company built on quality local information, combining print and digital titles and bridging local and national journalism.

• La Stampa

  National daily founded in 1867, among the most authoritative in Italy; acquired from GEDI in 2026.

• La Provincia Pavese

  Lombard daily acquired from GEDI in 2025.

• Il Tirreno

  Livorno-based daily, one of the four original 2020 acquisitions; sold in September 2026.

• La Nuova Sardegna

  Sassari-based daily added to the portfolio in 2022.

• La Nuova Ferrara

  Ferrara-based daily, one of the four original 2020 acquisitions.

• Gazzetta di Modena

  Modena-based daily, one of the four original 2020 acquisitions.

• Gazzetta di Reggio

  Reggio Emilia-based daily, one of the four original 2020 acquisitions.

• Paese Sera

  Historic Roman daily title acquired in May 2025.

1. 1Gruppo SAE Sapere Aude Editori editoria locale e quotidianagrupposae.it
2. 2SAE-Sapere Aude Editori sei testate giornalistichegrupposae.it
3. 3Sapere Aude Editoriwikidata.org
4. 4Sapere Aude Editoriit.wikipedia.org