Spearhead will acquire Smaato

Smaato Founders (Dok: Smaato)

SAN FRANCISCO (IndoTelko)  – Beijing-based Spearhead Integrated Marketing Communication Group has made a proposal to acquire for US$148 million San Francisco-based Smaato, the leading independent global real-time advertising platform for mobile publishers and app developers, through an M&A fund invested by one of its fully-owned subsidiaries.

The deal is subject to final agreement signing, regulatory and each transaction party’s decision-making body approvals. This deal highlights the explosive growth and worldwide reach of mobile advertising and that rapidly growing Chinese marketing companies are emerging as global advertising leaders.

The acquisition of Smaato opens three key strategic areas for Spearhead. First, Smaato’s global business and market position provides Spearhead a substantial beachhead for expansion onto the broader worldwide stage.

Second, Smaato delivers instant global reach of over 1 billion unique mobile users each month outside of China through Smaato’s global app developers and mobile publishers. Third, within China, Smaato is uniquely positioned to accelerate Spearhead’s mobile advertising capabilities through its platform that provides an end-to-end, integrated marketing solution for the China market.

Importantly, Smaato also delivers to Spearhead a cutting-edge real-time mobile advertising technology with its SPX Publisher Platform. This deal will significantly accelerate Smaato’s growth over the next few months. It enables Smaato to enter China with an established Chinese partner. Smaato will now have access to the vast number of mobile users within China, extending its current reach of over one billion consumers outside of China. Smaato will also have a partner with the resources to accelerate its technology roadmap and commercial growth.

Smaato CEO and co-founder Ragnar Kruse said in a statement, “This collaboration creates enormous new opportunities for both partners. Spearhead brings to Smaato not only its expertise and a trusted partnership but opens up the Chinese market for us. Smaato allows Spearhead to expand very quickly outside of China. Together, we unlock potential for enormous growth and exciting possibilities that neither business could achieve alone.”(es)