Disney and Softbank-backed mobile advertising network VoodooVox is being acquired by Call Genie, with Call Genie stock making up the bulk of the payment.
Mobile search and advertising company Call Genie acquired the assets of US-based data analytics and mobile advertising network VoodooVox on Wednesday.
Toronto-listed Call Genie is issuing 11.25 million shares of its stock, currently valued at C$0.10 each, to VoodooVox’ shareholders, together with an additional $1.8m in cash issued from future Call Genie profits, as payment.
VoodooVox had raised more than $9.4m since its inception, with investors including Disney-affiliated Steamboat Ventures, the Softbank-affiliated VC firm Softbank Capital, venture capital (VC) firm Village Ventures, private equity investment group Apax Partners and VC fund Berkshires Capital Investors. As a result of the deal, SoftBank Capital becomes a new shareholder in Call Genie.
The acquisition will involve Call Genie amalgamating VoodooVox’s real-time phone call and ad traffic demographic data into its own activities, which it intends to expand into mobile advertising.
Michael Durance, chief executive officer of Call Genie, said: "The more pay-per-call advertisers know about their callers, the more success they’ll have with their campaigns. Our goal is to create a smarter mobile ad network, and VoodooVox gives us audience insights that benefit key stakeholders in the mobile advertising ecosystem."
Steven Murray, partner at SoftBank Capital, added: "This acquisition is another important step for Call Genie. The analytics capability VoodooVox brings to the combined company provides a compelling differentiator that should assist Call Genie to enhance its presence in the mobile advertising space."
