Observed Signal · Sep 12, 2023 · M&A - Completed · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Funke to fully acquire Vienna-based student platform iamstudent
German media group Funke has acquired a 40% stake in High Five GmbH, the Vienna-based operator of the student portals iamstudent.com, studiumfinden.com and studiwohnen.com, and plans to fully take over the company in the long term. The portals are to be linked with Funke's existing education and careers offerings AZUBIYO, LehrstellenPortal.at and Absolventa under the Funke Works umbrella. iamstudent, founded in 2014, is a community and marketing platform with several hundred thousand registered students in the DACH region, enabling brands such as Samsung, Sky, Domino's Pizza and Thalia to offer special student discounts. The five founders remain on board after the investment. Funke's Chief Digital Officer Stephan Thurm said the move follows a buy & build strategy to expand reach among students and strengthen mobile app and data expertise. The purchase price was not disclosed.
The acquisition of a 40% stake in a student-facing marketing platform strengthens Funke's education and classifieds portfolio and expands student audience reach, but the deal is niche and has limited broad AdTech industry impact.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Funke Mediengruppe acquired a 40% stake in High Five GmbH, the Vienna-based operator of iamstudent.com, studiumfinden.com and studiwohnen.com.
- Funke plans a full takeover of High Five GmbH in the long term and will link its portals with AZUBIYO, LehrstellenPortal.at and Absolventa under Funke Works.
- iamstudent was founded in 2014 and reports several hundred thousand registered students in the DACH region.
- The platform allows brands including Samsung, Sky, Domino's Pizza and Thalia to offer special student discounts.
- The five founders of High Five GmbH remain on board following the investment.
- The purchase price for the 40% stake was not disclosed.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“German media group Funke expands its portfolio through a stake in High Five GmbH and is described as a media company active in digital publi...”
“Mentioned as one of the companies using iamstudent's marketing platform to offer special student discounts....”
“Mentioned as one of the companies using iamstudent's marketing platform to offer special student discounts....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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