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Internet and Media Industry M&A and Fund Raising

Archive for the ‘Acquisition’ Category

Tarsus Increases Exposure to US Growth Opportunities through acquisition of remaining 20% Minority Interest in Medical Conferences International

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 14, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-355
 
Acquirer:  Tarsus Group plc
ACQ Web:  http://www.tarsus-group.com
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Description:  Tarsus Group is an international media company with a portfolio of exhibitions, conferences, publications and online media that span across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Category:  B2B Media
Contact 1:  Douglas Emslie, Group Managing Director
Contact 2:  Ashley Milton, Group Finance Director
 
Vendor: Dr Robert Goldman is the Chairman of the American Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine (“”A4M”") and (with Dr Ronald Klatz) the Founding President of the National Academy of Sports Medicine, USA.  Dr Ronald Klatz is the President of A4M.
Region: North America
Description:  MCI, founded by the Vendors in 2003, is an organiser of medical sector events in the fast growing anti-ageing and preventative medicine market. MCI organises three key sector events in the USA annually: in Orlando (April), Chicago (October) and Las Vegas (December). 
Category: Conference
 
Terms:  The consideration of US$10.75 million (£6.6 million) will be satisfied by the issue to the Vendors, on or before 31 August 2010, of 5,820,878 Tarsus ordinary shares of 5 pence each (the “”Consideration Shares”"), representing an issue price of 114 pence per Consideration Share, equating to 7.8% of the overall enlarged Tarsus Group issued share capital.

The Vendors have agreed a lock-in such that they will not sell any of the Consideration Shares unless and until either Neville Buch or Douglas Emslie sell any of their own ordinary shares in Tarsus, in which case the Vendors will be entitled to sell the same percentage of their Consideration Shares as the sale (by Mr Buch or Mr Emslie as the case may be) represents to their combined shareholdings in Tarsus. The Vendors are also permitted to dispose of their Consideration Shares in certain other limited circumstances, including if there is a change of control involving a change in the existing management of Tarsus.
 
Details:  Tarsus Group, the international business-to-business media group,  has entered into a conditional agreement with Dr Robert Goldman and Dr Ronald Klatz  to acquire from them the remaining 20% interest in MCI not already owned by Tarsus Group for a consideration of US$ 10.75 million (£6.6 million). MCI, founded by the Vendors in 2003, is an organiser of medical sector events in the fast growing anti-ageing and preventative medicine market. MCI organises three key sector events in the USA annually: in Orlando (April), Chicago (October) and Las Vegas (December). 

Following the MCI Acquisition, the Vendors will both remain with the business and their current consulting agreements with MCI will be revised and extended by 10 years to 2026. The terms of the deferred consideration/ revenue incentive payable under the terms of the 2006 MCII Acquisition agreement have been extended, but subject to more demanding financial thresholds, and aggregate deferred consideration payments remain subject to the existing cap of $10.0 million.
 
Link: The London Stock Exchange’s Regulatory News Service (RNS)  

Background to the MCI Acquisition

On 16 November 2006 Tarsus Group announced that it had entered into an agreement with the Vendors to acquire from them 80 per cent. of the issued share capital of Medical Conferences International Inc (“”MCII”") for a total consideration of up to $46.0 million.  This comprised $36.0 million payable in cash upon completion, up to $10.0 million payable as deferred consideration and $2.9 million consideration for the net assets of MCII.

Following the completion of this transaction the Vendors retained ownership of 20% of MCII, (now “”MCI”").

 As at 31 December 2009, the gross assets of MCI were $19.4 million, and MCI generated profit before tax of $6.3 million for the year ended 31 December 2009.

Posted in Acquisition, ~Europe, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

HootSuite Acquires Android Developer Swift App

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 14, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-354
 
Acquirer:  HootSuite Media
ACQ Web:  http://hootsuite.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location:  Canada, Vancouver
Region:  North Amerca
Description:  HootSuite helps organizations use the social web to launch marketing campaigns, identify and grow audience, and distribute targeted messages across multiple channels. Using HootSuite’s unique social media dashboard, teams can collaboratively schedule updates to Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, WordPress and other social networks via web, desktop or mobile platforms plus track campaign results and industry trends to rapidly adjust tactics.
Category:  Apps, Social Network
Contact:  Ryan Holmes, CEO 
 
Vendor:  Swift App
Vendor Web:  http://www.swift-app.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location:  USA, New York, NY
Region:  North America
Description:  A company focused on developing social media applications for Google’s open mobile platform, Android.
Category: Apps
Contact:  Sebastian Delmont, Developer

Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  HootSuite Media, Inc. have acquired Swift App, Inc. a company specializing in Android™ App development, notably their flagship product “Swift App,” a Twitter client for Android. The acquisition means quicker development for the growing Android market and is a show of support for the emerging mobile platform. The acquisition sees Swift App developer Sebastian Delmont joining HootSuite as a mobile adviser.
 
Links: 

Posted in Acquisition, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

Evri acquires Twine.com

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 11, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-353
 
Acquirer:  Evri
ACQ Web:  http://www.evri.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location:  USA, Seattle, WA
Region:  North Amerca
Description:  Search and discovery engine that filters the real-time web for news and conversations that matter and distills them into intelligent information streams. Evri is funded by Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital.
Category:  Search
Contact:  Will Hunsinger, CEO
 
Vendor:  Radar Networks including it’s flagship property, Twine.com
Vendor Web:  http://www.twine.com
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North America
Description:  Online service for intelligently finding, organizing and sharing information with the people you trust. Radar Networks is backed by Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, Fuse Capital, and DFJ, as well as leading angel investors
Category: Search
Contact:  Nova Spivack, CEO
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  Evri has acquired Radar Networks including it’s flagship property, Twine.com. Radar Networks CEO Nova Spivack said in his blog entry about the acquisition “I am positive about the future for Twine and Evri. I really do believe that Vulcan Capital and Evri have the vision, and the deep pockets, necessary to execute on the long-term vision of the Semantic Web and the work we have done so far at Twine”. Mr. Spivack will continue to be affiliated with Evri in an advisory capacity and the Radar Networks team will consolidate to Evri’s San Francisco offices.
 
Links 

Posted in Acquisition, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

Online photo editor Picnik Acquired by Google

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 9, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-352
 
Acquirer:  Google
ACQ Web:  http://www.google.com
Location:  USA, California
Region:  North Amerca
Description:  Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, video sharing
Category:  Search
Contact 1:  Eric E. Schmidt, Chairman & CEO
Contact 2:  Brian Axe, Product Management Director  
 
Vendor:  Picnik
Vendor Web:  http://www.picnik.com
Other Web Links: Blog
Location:  USA, Seattle, WA
Region:  North America
Description:  Picnik gives users the power to edit digital photos in their browser, without having to purchase or download complicated software.
Category: Photography
Contact 1:  Jonathan Sposato, CEO
Contact 2:  Darrin Massena, Co-Founder, CTO
Contact 3:  Mike Harrington, Co-Founder, COO
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  Google has acquired Picnik. Google says in it’s blog that they are not announcing any significant changes to Picnik, though they will be working  on integration and new features. They also say that they will continue supporting all existing Picnik partners so that users will continue to be able to add their photos from other photo sharing sites, make edits in the cloud and then save and share to all relevant networks.
 
Links: 

Other recent Google acquisitions

Posted in Acquisition, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

SponsorPay Acquires GratisPay

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 9, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-351
 
Acquirer:  SponsorPay
ACQ Web:  http://www.sponsorpay.com
Location:  Germany, Berlin
Region:  Europe
Description:  SponsorPay GmbH was established in April 2009 by Team Europe Ventures, Jan Beckers and Janis Zech. The company currently employs a staff of 35 people. SponsorPay’s innovative payment
system gives online gamers free access to premium content such as virtual currencies and items.
Category:  Games, Payments
Contact 1:  Andreas Bodczek, CEO, Co-Founder
Contact 2:  Jan Beckers, Managing Director & Head of Publisher Relations, Co-Founder
Contact 3:  Mathias Kutzner, Head of Technology, Co-Founder
Contact 4: Janis Zech, Head of Advertiser Relations and Operations & Co-Founder
Contact 5:  Lukasz Gadowski, Partner at Team Europe Ventures
 
Vendor:  GratisPay
Vendor Web:  http://www.gratispay.com
Location:  Germany, Hamburg
Region:  Europe
Description:  Virtual currency monetization company for social applications and online games.
Category: Games, Payments
Contact 1:  Arne Bleckwenn, Joint Managing Director
Contact 2:  Hinrich Dreiling, oint Managing Director

Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  Team Europe Ventures company SponsorPay has acquired GratisPay. The consolidation of the two enterprises creates Europe’s leading provider of advertisement-based payment systems, monetizing virtually all of the major European online and social games publishers.Both companies were founded in 2009.
 
Link: Press Release

Posted in Acquisition, ~Europe | 1 Comment »

ngmoco acquires iPhone game-maker Freeverse (also raises $25M)

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 7, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION & FUND RAISING
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-350
 
Acquirer:  ngmoco
ACQ Web:  http://www.ngmoco.com
Other Web Links: Twitter 
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North Amerca
Description:  ngmoco creates and publishes games for the iPhone.
Category:  Games
Contact 1:  Neil Young, CEO, Founder
Contact 2:  Bob Stevenson, Founder
Contact 3:  Alan Yu, Founder
Contact 4: Joe Keene, Founder
 
Vendor:  Freeverse
Vendor Web:  http://www.freeverse.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location:  USA, New York, NY
Region:  North America
Description:  Freeverse develops and publishes seamless software, with a particular concentration on the Mac and iPhone platforms. The Freeverse portfolio includes Skee-Ball, Moto Chaser, Flick Fishing, SlotZ Racer, Flick Bowling and NBA Hotshot.
Category: Games
Contact 1:  Ian Lynch Smith, President
Contact 2:  Colin Lynch Smith, Vice President
Contact 3:  Dino de Cespedes, Chief Financial Officer

Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  ngmoco, the  iPhone and iPod touch game developer and publisher, has acquired game-maker Freeverse. ngmoco also announced Series C funding of nearly $25 million. Investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Maples Investments and Norwest Venture Partners.
 
Link: Press Release

Posted in Acquisition, Fund Raising, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

Google has acquired DocVerse

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 6, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website

 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-349
 
Acquirer:  Google
ACQ Web:  http://www.google.com
Location:  USA, California
Region:  North Amerca
Description:  Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, video sharing
Category:  Search
Contact:  Eric E. Schmidt, Chairman & CEO
 
Vendor:  DocVerse
Vendor Web:  http://docverse.com
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North America
Description:  Real time sharing and simultaneous group-editing of Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and Word documents
Category: Technology
Contact 1:  Shan Sinha, co-founder , CEO, Photograph
Contact 2:  Alex DeNeui, co-founder, CTO, Photograph
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed. $25 million.according to the WSJ
 
Details:  Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has acquired DocVerse. From the DocVerse blog, “We fundamentally believe that Google is one of the best positioned companies to truly disrupt the world of productivity software.  We’re looking forward to the opportunity to scale our vision at Google.  Our first step will be to combine DocVerse with Google Apps to create a bridge between Microsoft Office and Google Apps”.
 
Link: DocVerse Blog
  
Related Fusion DigiNet articles

Posted in Acquisition, ~North America | 1 Comment »

MedCAREERS GROUP has signed an LOI to acquire physician staffing industry website StaffMD

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 6, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website

 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-348
 
Acquirer:  MedCAREERS GROUP
ACQ Web:  http://www.medcareersgroup.com
Location:  USA, Atlanta, GA
Region:  North America
Description:  Online pacement site devoted exclusively to the healthcare industry.
Category:  Recruitment
Contact 1:  R. Bryan Crutchfield, Chairman and CEO
Contact 2:  C. John Dean, Chief Financial Officer
 
Vendor:  StaffMD
Vendor Web:  http://www.physicianwork.com 
Location:  USA, Homosassa, FL
Region:  North America
Description:  StaffMD operates primarily under the name www.physicianwork.com, but it has other operating assets as well.  StaffMD was founded ten years ago by Jeffrey Sisk. StaffMD has most of the major physician staffing companies as clients who use www.physicianwork.com to advertise their job listings.
Category: Recruitment
Contact:  Jeffrey Sisk, CEO, Founder
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  MedCAREERS GROUP, Inc. has signed a letter of intent to acquire StaffMD an online job posting website in the physician staffing industry.  StaffMD operates primarily under the name www.physicianwork.com, but it has other operating assets as well.  StaffMD was founded ten years ago by Jeffrey Sisk and he will remain with the Company after the closing of the pending acquisition. The transaction is subject to due diligence and execution of definitive documentation which the parties expect to be finalized within 60 days. 
 
Link: Press Release

Posted in Acquisition, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

Atex is buying the 80% stake in Kaango owned by MediaNews and Hearst Corp.

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 4, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-347
 
Acquirer:  Atex
ACQ Web:  http://www.atex.com
Location:  UK, Reading
Region:  Europe
Description:  Atex is a supplier of software systems and services  to the media industry. Atex was founded in Massachusetts in 1973.
Category:  Advertising
Contact 1:  David Montgomery, Atex Head of Global Product Development
Contact 2:  Douglas Drane, founder
Contact 3:  Charles Ying, founder
Contact 4: Richard Ying, founder
 
Vendor:  Hearst Corporation and MediaNews Group
Business Sold: Kaango
ACQ Web: http://www.kaango.com
Location:  USA, Greenwood Village, CO
Region:  North America
Description:  Kaango, which launched its first affiliate site in 2006 and currently serves more than 200 publishers in the U.S., provides a technologically advanced Web-based software platform to syndicate and publish its media partners’ print and online classified ads.
Category: Advertising
Contact 1:  Michael Kranitz, the  founder and former CEO of Kaango
Contact 2:  Joe Conti, COO
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed (Hearst Corporation and MediaNews Group paid $20 million for 80 percent of Kaango in November 2007)
 
Details:  Atex is buying the 80% stake in Kaango owned by MediaNews and Hearst Corp. Both companies will retain a minority stake in Kaango. Michael Kranitz, the  founder and former CEO of Kaango, will continue to work with Atex. Kaango’s product development team will remain based in Denver, CO as part of Atex’s global development resources. Joe Conti will act as Kaango’s COO and he will continue to manage the day-to-day operations in Denver.
 
Link: Company Announcement

Posted in Acquisition, ~Europe, ~North America | Leave a Comment »

Playdom acquires Facebook developer Offbeat Creations

Posted by Fusion DigiNet on March 4, 2010

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-346
 
Acquirer:  Playdom
ACQ Web:  http://www.playdom.com
Location:  USA, Mountain View, CA
Region:  North America
Description:  Playdom’s lineup of games includes Sorority Life, Mobsters 2, Lil Farm Life, Tiki Farm, Tiki Resort, Wild Ones and Poker Palace.
Category:  Computer Games
Contact:  John Pleasants, CEO 
 
Vendor:  Offbeat Creations
Vendor Web:  http://offbeat-creations.com 
Location:  USA, Bellevu, WA
Region:  North America
Description:  Developer and publisher of entertainment software on social media platforms. Super Farkle, the newest version of the hugely popular dice game has over one million monthly active users.
Category: Computer Games
Contact 1:  Chia Chin Lee, founder
Contact 2:  Robert Reichner, founder
Contact 3:  Tom Fakes, founder
  
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  Playdom, a  social gaming company,  acquired Facebook developer Offbeat Creations, a  developer and publisher of entertainment software on social media platforms.
 
Link: Press Release

Posted in Acquisition, ~North America | Leave a Comment »