Beijing-based Spearhead Integrated Marketing Communication Group (SZSE: 300071) has completed the acquisition of San Francisco-based Smaato Inc. and Smaato Holding AG, the independent global real-time advertising platform for mobile publishers and app developers, for $148m.
The acquisition was secured through an M&A fund invested by one of Spearhead’s fully-owned subsidiaries.
With Smaato’s mobile monetization platform and global reach to 1 billion monthly unique mobile users outside of China, Spearhead will now enable Chinese brands to run international mobile campaigns and reach high-value users as they expand their businesses abroad.
Spearhead offers Smaato an anchor in China and the greater APAC region to reach these mobile- and app-first markets, and the resources to accelerate the development of new, innovative mobile advertising technology, products and services.
Smaato now has access to the 1 billion mobile users in China – representing the world’s second largest mobile advertising market – which bolsters their position as the leading independent global real-time mobile advertising platform.
Founded in 2005 by CEO Ragnar Kruse, Smaato operates a global real-time mobile advertising platform, connecting 10,000+ advertisers with over 90,000 app developers and mobile web publishers. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional regional headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, and Singapore.
Following the deal, Smaato will retain its branding and name and remain largely independent within Spearhead. A new integration team has been formed to leverage the scale and strategic potential of this partnership by creating an end-to-end marketing technology solution.
FinSMEs
21/12/2016