Axel Springer

Axel Springer, established in 1946, is a prominent media company headquartered in Berlin, Germany. It operates in the print and digital publishing sectors, offering a wide range of newspapers, magazines, and digital sales channels. With a strong presence in over 40 countries, Axel Springer is the market leader in the German print business and has a significant global footprint. The company's core business segments include informative and entertaining journalism, marketing, and classifieds. Axel Springer is committed to accelerating its digital transformation, aiming to become the leading digital publisher. It achieves this by evolving its established media brands, developing new online platforms, and strategically acquiring web companies. Additionally, Axel Springer Digital Ventures, the company's venture capital arm, invests in early-stage startups in the mobile, internet of things, and software sectors, focusing on classified ad models, marketing models, and digital publishing companies.

Stephanie Caspar

President Classifieds Media

Mathias Dopfner

Co-Owner, CEO and Chairman

Jan-Philipp Gräfe

Principal

Ulrich Schmitz

Managing Director

Past deals in Publishing

Inkitt

Series B in 2021
Inkitt GmbH operates an online community that connects writers and readers, facilitating the sharing and promotion of stories across various genres, including horror, romance, and sci-fi. Founded in 2013 and based in Berlin, the company publishes books using crowd wisdom and data-driven insights to predict future bestsellers. Its core platform, Inkitt, allows authors to share their works in progress and receive feedback from readers, who can access these manuscripts for free for a limited time. In addition to Inkitt, the company also operates Galatea, which sells optimized stories in a chapter-by-chapter format, and GalateaTV, which adapts successful e-books into short-form television series. Inkitt's proprietary ReadRank algorithm identifies high-potential stories, enhancing the overall user experience and driving its publishing success. The company aims to leverage AI for hyper-personalization, tailoring stories to individual reader preferences across multiple media formats.

Ozy

Series C in 2019
Ozy Media, Inc. is a media and entertainment company based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2012. The organization focuses on delivering diverse news and information through various platforms, including a daily news site, video streaming, podcasts, and events. Ozy Media aims to engage a curious audience by presenting narratives that challenge conventional perspectives and highlight emerging trends and innovative ideas. Its programming includes a range of shows designed to cater to different interests, such as the Presidential Daily Brief, Rising Stars, and Provocateurs. With a mission to broaden horizons, Ozy Media reaches an audience of approximately 50 million, offering content that ignites ideas and encourages exploration of the new and the next.

Group Nine Media

Corporate Round in 2019
Group Nine Media, Inc. is a digital media holding company founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York City. It focuses on creating content across several key areas, including food, drink, entertainment, news, and science. The company operates four primary brands: The Dodo, which specializes in animal-related content; NowThis, a video news publisher tailored for social media; Thrillist, which covers lifestyle topics including food, drink, travel, and entertainment; and Seeker, a platform dedicated to science and exploration. Group Nine Media engages a young audience, particularly millennials, through its video-centric, socially-driven approach, generating nearly 4 billion video views each month and providing services such as data insights, creative strategy development, and branded content.

CeleraOne

Acquisition in 2019
CeleraOne GmbH, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, specializes in real-time data processing and analytics through its innovative platform. The company provides solutions primarily for paid content technology, catering to numerous publishers in Germany and Switzerland. CeleraOne focuses on managing large volumes of user data and audience development, enabling its clients to optimize their content offerings and engage effectively with their audiences. As of March 2019, it operates as a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE.

Group Nine Media

Venture Round in 2017
Group Nine Media, Inc. is a digital media holding company founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York City. It focuses on creating content across several key areas, including food, drink, entertainment, news, and science. The company operates four primary brands: The Dodo, which specializes in animal-related content; NowThis, a video news publisher tailored for social media; Thrillist, which covers lifestyle topics including food, drink, travel, and entertainment; and Seeker, a platform dedicated to science and exploration. Group Nine Media engages a young audience, particularly millennials, through its video-centric, socially-driven approach, generating nearly 4 billion video views each month and providing services such as data insights, creative strategy development, and branded content.

eMarketer

Acquisition in 2016
eMarketer, Inc. specializes in providing data and research focused on digital marketing, media, and commerce. The company offers insights into consumer behavior and marketing strategies, helping businesses navigate the complexities of the digital landscape. Its extensive research covers various aspects, including advertising budgets, B2B marketing, ecommerce, content marketing, and social media trends. The flagship product, eMarketer PRO, serves as a comprehensive platform featuring reports, a searchable data library, and analytics that aggregate information from over 3,000 sources. Additionally, eMarketer publishes daily newsletters that deliver data and insights to a global audience of over 200,000 readers. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in New York City, with an office in London, eMarketer operates as a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE since its acquisition in 2016. The company caters to a diverse clientele, including brands, agencies, media organizations, and educational institutions worldwide.

Vicomi

Seed Round in 2015
Vicomi is a visual comment platform that enables publishers to measure user sentiment by allowing viewers to tag emotions in their comments. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Israel, with additional offices in San Francisco, New York, and Berlin, the platform enhances online engagement by providing tools that help publishers understand how their audience feels about their content. Vicomi's technology facilitates the analysis of user emotions, enabling publishers to optimize their content and improve advertising monetization. Its dashboard allows users to monitor comments effectively, while a recommendations widget promotes higher content circulation, increasing website traffic, retention, and overall web engagement.

Blendle

Series A in 2014
Blendle is a digital media platform that allows readers to purchase articles from various Dutch and Belgian newspapers and magazines, including prominent publications like the Economist. Users can buy individual articles for prices ranging from €0.10 to €0.30, and they are presented with a selection of recommendations similar to social media feeds. New users are provided with an initial credit of €2.50 to explore the platform. The service includes a brief refund window for article purchases, after which Blendle retains a 30% commission on sales. By offering a pay-per-article model, Blendle aims to enhance access to quality journalism and cater to readers' preferences through personalized recommendations.

Ozy

Series A in 2014
Ozy Media, Inc. is a media and entertainment company based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2012. The organization focuses on delivering diverse news and information through various platforms, including a daily news site, video streaming, podcasts, and events. Ozy Media aims to engage a curious audience by presenting narratives that challenge conventional perspectives and highlight emerging trends and innovative ideas. Its programming includes a range of shows designed to cater to different interests, such as the Presidential Daily Brief, Rising Stars, and Provocateurs. With a mission to broaden horizons, Ozy Media reaches an audience of approximately 50 million, offering content that ignites ideas and encourages exploration of the new and the next.

Car&Boat Media

Acquisition in 2014
Car & Boat Media is the leading digital group in France on the automobile and the boat, bringing together sites with high notoriety and audience: - The Centrale: 1st site of used vehicles - Caradisiac: 1st site of contents automobile and motorcycle - Forum- auto: 1st car community - Promoneuve: 1st site of sale of new vehicles destocked - Announcements of the boat: 1st site of new and used boats.

Grunderszene

Acquisition in 2014
Gruenderszene is the German-speaking online magazine for the digital industry in Germany. Vertical Media is the publishing house behind the magazine which is based in Berlin. It started as a privat blog-project of the German serial-entrepreneur [Lukasz Gadowski](https://www.crunchbase.com/person/lukasz-gadowski). Gruenderszene has become a major player in the online coverage of the startup industry in Germany,it delivers news and articles about the German internet, web and tech scene. Gruenderszene is also an organizer of industry events, such as e.g. the "Spätschicht" event in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. The English version of Gründerszene is called VentureVillage.eu. The company was acquired by [Axel Springer](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/axel-springer) in June 2014.

Vertical Media

Acquisition in 2014
Vertical Media is a Berlin-based digital marketing agency that specializes in web design, social media, and marketing solutions. The agency focuses on helping businesses enhance their online presence and streamline their operations using modern web marketing strategies. Additionally, Vertical Media publishes online magazines aimed at digital entrepreneurs and companies, providing valuable insights and resources for the digital economy.

InterRed

Venture Round in 2011
InterRed GmbH is a prominent provider of software solutions that specialize in content management systems and editorial tools. The company focuses on delivering advanced software for multi-channel publishing, knowledge management, and online content management tailored for newspapers, magazines, corporate publishing, and catalogs. InterRed's product offerings include the InterRed Print editorial system, the web content management system InterRed Online, and the InterRed AppPublishing solution. Additionally, the company features modules such as InterRed ContentAgents for knowledge management and InterRed LiveReporting for web analytics. With a diverse array of tools designed for various industries, InterRed addresses the needs of businesses seeking effective print, web, and mobile solutions.

Gamigo

Acquisition in 2008
Gamigo AG, a subsidiary of Axel Springer AG, is a prominent online game publisher established in 2000. With nearly two decades of experience, the company specializes in distributing a diverse portfolio of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) across various genres, catering to a wide audience. Gamigo's offerings range from casual games to its core focus on role-playing games, all available through browser or dedicated game clients. The company's success is built on a strong emphasis on customer accessibility and a commitment to providing attractive, high-quality gaming experiences.

Berliner Morgenpost

Acquisition in 1959
Berliner Morgenpost is a German daily newspaper established in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, known for its significant role in the media landscape of Berlin. The publication has a strong digital presence and operates as a digital publishing company. In 1959, Berliner Morgenpost was acquired by Axel Springer, a major European media conglomerate. The newspaper provides a range of news coverage, including local, national, and international topics, catering to a diverse readership. With its long history and adaptation to the digital age, Berliner Morgenpost continues to be a prominent source of news in Germany.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.