Verve Group SE, a fast-growing software platform in the advertising technology industry, is acquiring Captify Technologies Ltd, one of the largest search intelligence platforms outside the Walled Gardens, analyzing the search behavior of up to 1 billion daily searches and aggregating about 400 billion active data points per day, which continuously enhances its machine learning models. Captify has long-term, active business relations with all top-tier advertising agencies and about half of the global Top 100 advertisers and thus complements Verve’s ongoing Demand Side expansion efforts without significant operational overlap.
Captify’s unique search intelligence platform provides brands with a deep understanding of consumer interests, motivations, and intentions in real time, allowing for precise targeting and better campaign measurement without the use of third-party cookies. The underlying machine learning technology transforms real search intent into actionable marketing strategies that are used by over 800 leading global brands for programmatic activation, pre-campaign strategies, and unique measurement solutions. Captify is regularly recognized for innovation and excellence in advertising technology, for example as “Best in Search Marketing Platforms” by Adweek Reader’s Choice.
Headquartered in London, Captify has a strong presence in the UK, with its majority of revenue in Verve’s core market North America, with multiple offices in the USA, the UK and Australia. While one of Verve’s main strategic goals is to grow its sales force substantially in 2025 and 2026, this transaction adds substantially to that, adding round about 30 salespeople at the aforementioned locations. By combining the Captify and the Verve Brand as well as Agency sales teams, substantial synergies will be generated as early as 2025.
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“Verve and Captify complement each other perfectly, making this acquisition a strong strategic fit. Verve’s clear US market leadership amongst programmatic advertising Sell Side Platforms on Apple iOS as well as Google Android will now receive an additional lift from the strong complementary Demand Side access and sophisticated sales team Captify adds to our Group”, underlines Remco Westermann, CEO of Verve Group SE. “With this transaction, we are clearly delivering on our strategic roadmap. We are strengthening our Demand Side, accelerating our expansion into the UK market and gaining a strong sales team, which will benefit the entire Group. At the same time, we see a broad range of measures and possibilities, which will lead to significant post-transaction synergies at a decisively reduced cost base.”
Captify is expected to contribute revenues of about EUR 41 million on a full-year 2025e normalized proforma basis with an expected EBITDA of about EUR 5 million including significant post-deal synergies. As the company has performed restructuring measures in early 2025, the financial effects of these measures have been normalized in order to present a realistic annual impact on the financial figures and increase comparability. The total purchase price of EUR 25.6 million reflects an EBITDA multiple of about 7x before synergies, respectively about 5x after synergies. The transaction is structured with a EUR 16.2 million cash consideration within 6 weeks of closing, and an additional deferred cash consideration of EUR 9.4 million 18 months after closing. Captify will be consolidated into Verve Group financials from 16 September 2025.
Captify’s technology solutions will enhance the data capabilities of Verve’s audience intelligence platform, Helix. Captify’s team will be integrated into Verve’s commercial brand and agency, technology and product teams, leading to substantial revenue and cost synergies of about EUR 1.6 million per year. Mike Welch will step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Captify and will assume the role of a strategic advisor.
SOURCE: Verve