Duda, the leading website development platform for digital agencies, SaaS platforms, and web professionals, has announced the appointment of Cliff Bockard as the company's new Global Vice President of Sales. Bockard brings over 30 years of experience in sales, revenue management, and technology to Duda.

Key Points:

• Leadership Announcement:

  • Cliff Bockard appointed as Global Vice President of Sales at Duda.
  • Brings over 30 years of experience in sales, revenue management, and technology.

• CEO's Statement:

  • Itai Sadan, Co-Founder and CEO of Duda, emphasized Bockard's skill set and values as key to Duda's growth.
  • Highlighted Bockard's experience in scaling sales teams and building sales organizations across multiple customer segments.

• Bockard’s Professional Background:

  • Previously led the sales team at Neo4j, contributing significantly to the company's growth.
  • Served as Senior Vice President of Sales for DigitalOcean and Vice President of Sales for Twilio.
  • Drove revenue growth from $0 to $500 million and managed teams ranging from 8 to 300 members.

• Role and Vision:

  • Overseeing Duda's enterprise and mid-market sales teams globally.
  • Focus on generating new revenue streams and driving company growth.
  • Committed to enjoying life's journey and bringing out the best in others, aligning with Duda's values and culture.

• Executive Statements:

  • Oded Ouaknine, Chief Revenue Officer at Duda, praised Bockard’s strategic vision and commitment to excellence.
  • Bockard expressed excitement about joining Duda and being part of an innovative team in Colorado.

• Strategic Impact:

  • Bockard's extensive experience positions him to drive Duda's sales strategy and expand the company's reach globally.
  • Emphasized the enormous market potential for website development.

Cliff Bockard’s appointment as Global Vice President of Sales marks a pivotal step in Duda's growth journey. His extensive sales and technology experience, combined with his strategic vision, will play a crucial role in driving Duda's global sales strategy and expanding its market presence.

Global C-Suite Executive Hire Further Strengthens StackAdapt Leadership Team Amidst Rapid Growth

StackAdapt, a leading multi-channel advertising platform, has announced the appointment of Darcie Henry as Chief People Officer. With over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, Henry will play a key role in driving organizational growth and fostering a culture of innovation and diversity at StackAdapt.

Key Points:

• Leadership Announcement:

  • Darcie Henry appointed as Chief People Officer at StackAdapt.
  • Brings over 20 years of experience in HR and people management in the tech industry.

• Professional Background:

  • Held executive roles at Amazon, Snapchat, and Flexport.
  • At Amazon, scaled HR function globally and supported international expansion and M&A efforts.
  • As Chief Human Resources Officer at Snapchat and Flexport, evolved executive teams, developed people strategies, and introduced end-to-end processes aligning people with business strategy.

• Role and Vision:

  • Darcie will leverage her expertise to drive organizational growth, enhance operational efficiency, and foster a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and innovation.
  • Focus on data-driven decision-making and improving talent management and employee experience.

• Executive Statements:

  • Vitaly Pecherskiy, co-founder and CEO of StackAdapt, emphasized the importance of people in the company's evolution into a global technology powerhouse.
  • Darcie Henry expressed excitement about contributing to StackAdapt’s culture and driving significant initiatives and tech developments.

• Strategic Impact:

  • Darcie's appointment marks a significant milestone as StackAdapt strengthens its leadership team during a period of growth.
  • The announcement follows the hiring of Ryan Nelsen as CMO and Vitaly Pecherskiy’s elevation to CEO.

Darcie Henry’s appointment as Chief People Officer is a pivotal step for StackAdapt as the company continues to grow and innovate. Her extensive experience in HR and people management will be instrumental in driving organizational growth and fostering a culture of DEI and innovation.

Expanding Messaging Capabilities for Businesses

Sinch, a leader in customer communication solutions, has introduced the Sinch Omnichannel Connector on Salesforce AppExchange. This innovative solution enhances conversational marketing opportunities and customer experiences by providing advanced messaging capabilities for Salesforce Marketing Cloud users.

Key Points:

• New Offering Announcement:

  • Sinch introduces the Omnichannel Connector on Salesforce AppExchange.
  • Enhances Salesforce Marketing Cloud with advanced one-way and two-way messaging capabilities.

• Integration and Capabilities:

  • Seamlessly integrates with the Salesforce ecosystem.
  • Empowers businesses to reach and engage customers across 13 diverse channels, including RCS, Kakao Talk, Viper, and Instagram.
  • Expands Salesforce's native messaging channels of SMS, MMS, Email, WhatsApp, and LINE.

• Executive Statement:

  • Jonathan Campbell, Senior Director of Messaging Products at Sinch, highlights the benefits of the Sinch Omnichannel Connector in enhancing customer communications, personalizing engagements, and maximizing marketing ROI.
  • Emphasizes the broader spectrum of messaging channels available to Salesforce Marketing Cloud users through Sinch.

• Getting Started:

  • Salesforce Marketing Cloud users need an existing account and can onboard the Conversation API via the Sinch Dashboard.
  • Users can then activate their chosen channels, tailoring messaging strategies to meet unique business needs.

The Sinch Omnichannel Connector provides Salesforce Marketing Cloud users with an expanded suite of messaging capabilities, allowing businesses to enhance customer engagement and optimize marketing strategies. This innovative solution marks a significant step forward in customer communications and marketing effectiveness.

The $930m acquisition brings customers unmatched insights from a vast content library covering public and private companies, combined with AlphaSense's market-leading AI search technology

AlphaSense, the leading market intelligence and search platform, has announced the successful acquisition of Tegus, a renowned provider of expert research, private company content, financial data, and workflow tools. Concurrently, AlphaSense closed a significant $650 million funding round, elevating its valuation to $4 billion.

Key Points:

• Acquisition Announcement:

  • AlphaSense acquires Tegus, enhancing its market intelligence and research platform.
  • The acquisition was initially announced on June 11, 2024.

• Funding Details:

  • AlphaSense secured a $650 million funding round.
  • Co-led by Viking Global Investors and BDT & MSD Partners.
  • New investors include J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Blue Owl Capital, and Alkeon Capital.
  • Existing investors like Alphabet's CapitalG and Goldman Sachs Alternatives also participated.
  • New valuation of AlphaSense is $4 billion.

• Strategic Integration:

  • The merger aims to accelerate growth, innovation, and content expansion.
  • Combines AlphaSense’s market intelligence with Tegus’s expert research and financial data.
  • AlphaSense will incorporate Tegus employees across offices in Chicago, Vancouver, and Waterford, Ireland.
  • Focus on scaling Tegus's expert transcript library and enhancing financial data and workflow tools.

• About AlphaSense:

  • Trusted by over 4,000 enterprise customers, including a majority of the S&P 500.
  • Provides insights from a diverse range of content, including equity research, company filings, event transcripts, expert calls, news, trade journals, and clients' own research.
  • Utilizes AI to deliver reliable market intelligence, reducing uncertainty in decision-making.

The acquisition of Tegus by AlphaSense, coupled with a substantial funding round, marks a pivotal moment for the market intelligence and research platform. This strategic move enhances AlphaSense’s capabilities, positioning it to deliver even more comprehensive insights and support to its expansive client base.

The amplified partnership ensures the data quality of a company's email database, enabling increased customer engagement and improved brand reputation.

Validity, the leading provider of data quality and email marketing success solutions, has announced an expanded partnership with Iterable, the AI-powered customer communication platform. This collaboration enables businesses to instantly verify email contact information, optimizing sales and marketing campaign results and driving ROI.

Key Points:

• Market Competition:

  • Current global email volume is around 360 billion emails per day, increasing by 15% annually (Validity's State of Email in 2024 report).
  • Competing for consumer attention is increasingly challenging, necessitating robust email deliverability protocols.

• Importance of Email Verification:

  • Implementing contact verification services like BriteVerify ensures teams email active, valid contacts.
  • Sending campaigns to invalid or outdated email addresses can damage sender reputation and result in wasted revenue and resources.

• BriteVerify Integration:

  • Iterable customers can now maintain contact data quality by verifying email addresses in real-time at the point of capture.
  • Provides secure, scalable validation for marketing and sales leaders to build actionable databases and improve communication effectiveness.
  • Bulk validation for existing subscriber databases identifies outdated or invalid emails, saving time and reducing manual errors.

• Customer Testimonials:

  • Sarah Taylor, Digital Marketing Manager at CV-Library Group, highlights the integration’s time-saving benefits and improved email list hygiene.

• Statements from Leaders:

  • Jeff Lundal, CRO at Validity, emphasizes the crucial role of their solutions in helping businesses remain competitive.
  • Heather Blank, SVP of GTM and Partnerships at Iterable, underscores the importance of delivering meaningful, personalized, and dynamic cross-channel experiences to enhance customer engagement and loyalty.

The expanded partnership between Validity and Iterable represents a significant step forward in optimizing email deliverability and campaign ROI. By leveraging real-time email verification through BriteVerify, businesses can enhance their marketing strategies, ensure better engagement, and drive revenue growth.

Expanded partnership includes new growth targets and a comprehensive go-to-market strategy

AudioEye, Inc., a leader in digital accessibility solutions, and Finalsite, the premier K-12 school community relationship management platform, have announced an expanded partnership. This collaboration aims to significantly enhance digital accessibility for K-12 schools through a new growth strategy and comprehensive go-to-market approach utilizing AudioEye's advanced accessibility testing and remediation platform.

Key Points:

• Expanded Partnership:

  • The partnership focuses on addressing the growing digital accessibility requirements for K-12 schools.
  • AudioEye’s platform will provide advanced accessibility testing and remediation to meet the needs of Finalsite’s extensive client base.

• New ADA Regulations:

  • The Justice Department’s new rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local government entities, including public schools, to achieve digital accessibility compliance.
  • Schools must meet these requirements within two to three years, depending on their population size.

• Finalsite’s Commitment:

  • Finalsite serves 7,000 clients across 115 countries and is dedicated to providing accessible education technology solutions.
  • Their approach to digital accessibility goes beyond legal requirements to ensure equality and inclusivity for all users.

• Challenges in K-12 Digital Accessibility:

  • A nationwide study revealed that over 95% of K-12 school home pages had at least one detectable accessibility error.
  • Nearly two-thirds of websites failed to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), potentially hindering access to critical information for students and families.

• Statements from Leaders:

  • David Moradi, CEO of AudioEye: Emphasized the partnership's potential to meet growing accessibility demands and support school districts with their unique needs.
  • Jon Moser, Founder and CEO of Finalsite: Highlighted accessibility as a fundamental equality issue and praised the partnership for offering new ways to check and remediate inaccessible content.

• Innovative Solutions:

  • The expanded partnership introduces new tools and strategies to help schools achieve ADA compliance and enhance digital accessibility.
  • The collaboration aims to foster inclusivity and provide effective digital solutions for the K-12 education sector.

The expanded partnership between AudioEye and Finalsite marks a significant advancement in addressing digital accessibility challenges for K-12 schools. By leveraging AudioEye’s advanced technology and Finalsite’s extensive reach, the partnership aims to help schools meet new ADA regulations, enhance accessibility, and foster an inclusive educational environment for all students.

Goldman Sachs to acquire majority stake from Providence Equity Partners and other existing investors

TAIT management team to continue leading company and remain significant shareholders

TAIT, a global leader in creating transformative live experiences, has announced that Goldman Sachs Alternatives will acquire a majority stake in the company from Providence Equity Partners, pending regulatory approvals. This significant move will enable TAIT to expand its global reach and innovate within the live events industry.

Key Points:

• Acquisition Announcement:

  • Goldman Sachs Alternatives will acquire a majority stake in TAIT, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
  • Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

• TAIT’s Vision for the Future:

  • Adam Davis, CEO of TAIT: Expressed excitement about the partnership with Goldman Sachs, highlighting the potential for growth and innovation. He emphasized that the collaboration will help TAIT merge digital and physical worlds to create extraordinary, bespoke events.
  • The partnership aims to enhance TAIT’s capabilities and expand its global footprint, enabling the company to better serve clients and drive future success.

• TAIT’s Legacy and Impact:

  • For over 45 years, TAIT has been a trusted partner for some of the world’s most iconic artists, brands, and institutions.
  • The company has delivered high-profile productions across diverse markets, including Super Bowl halftime shows, award-winning theme parks, World Expo pavilions, and Olympic Opening ceremonies.

• Goldman Sachs Alternatives’ Role:

  • Leonard Seevers, Partner at Goldman Sachs Alternatives: Praised TAIT for its innovative solutions and passionate team. He expressed excitement about supporting TAIT’s next growth phase.
  • Simon Kubbies, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Alternatives: Highlighted TAIT’s strong position in the growing entertainment sector and the opportunity to expand the company’s technology offerings and market presence.

• Providence Equity Partners’ Contribution:

  • Scott Marimow, Managing Director at Providence: Reflected on a successful five-year partnership with TAIT, commending the company's growth and resilience. He wished success to TAIT and its new partners.
  • Adam Davis: Acknowledged Providence’s instrumental role in TAIT’s achievements and expressed gratitude for their support.

• Advisors for the Transaction:

  • TAIT: Financial advisors were Evercore and Jefferies LLC; legal counsel was provided by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.
  • Goldman Sachs: Financial advisors were Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC and PJT Partners; legal counsel was provided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

The acquisition of a majority stake in TAIT by Goldman Sachs Alternatives represents a major milestone in the company’s history. This partnership is set to propel TAIT into a new era of growth and innovation, positioning it to meet the evolving demands of the live entertainment and events industry.

MobileFuse, a major player in in-app, CTV, and DOOH advertising, has officially partnered with iSpot.tv, a leading cross-platform TV measurement company. This collaboration designates iSpot.tv as MobileFuse’s preferred measurement solution, utilizing their Unified Measurement platform to provide clients with advanced tools for analyzing and optimizing CTV and OLV campaigns at scale.

Key Points:

• Partnership Overview:

  • MobileFuse has selected iSpot.tv as its preferred measurement partner to enhance the effectiveness of CTV and OLV advertising campaigns.
  • The partnership leverages iSpot.tv’s Unified Measurement platform to integrate linear TV and CTV measurement, providing a comprehensive view of ad performance across platforms.

• Expanded Measurement Capabilities:

  • Ken Harlan, Founder and CEO of MobileFuse: Emphasized the importance of the partnership in expanding CTV offerings and reporting capabilities. Harlan highlighted that iSpot.tv’s solution meets MobileFuse’s high standards for unified insights and campaign effectiveness.
  • Through this partnership, MobileFuse clients will gain access to iSpot’s ad catalog, airing data, and Smart TV panel, which tracks impressions for over 30,000 brands.
  • The integration of these tools allows for better measurement of incremental reach, helping brands understand the added value of CTV in their media strategies.

• Enhanced Reporting and Optimization:

  • The collaboration introduces advanced optimization features including publisher, audience, and frequency adjustments.
  • MobileFuse will utilize iSpot’s Unified Measurement dashboard to provide detailed insights and reporting, helping clients optimize campaigns for maximum ROI.

• Impact of the Partnership:

  • An analysis by iSpot in May showed that for a medium-sized brand, over 67% of MobileFuse’s reach was incremental to linear TV, and this increased to 85% for smaller brands.
  • MobileFuse consistently surpasses iSpot’s Unified Measurement Benchmarks for the Percent Incremental Reach metric, demonstrating the unique value of their audience and the effectiveness of their CTV strategies.

• Industry Context:

  • As audiences increasingly shift from linear TV to streaming platforms, accurate measurement of CTV advertising becomes crucial.
  • Dan Lowenberg, VP of Media Partnerships at iSpot: Stressed the importance of measuring CTV’s value in a competitive advertising landscape and expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with MobileFuse to enhance their measurement solutions.

• Recent Campaign Success:

  • MobileFuse’s recent campaigns across various verticals, including Retail, QSR, Travel, and Pharma, have shown significant success in expanding reach beyond linear TV through their CTV strategies.

The partnership between MobileFuse and iSpot.tv marks a significant advancement in the measurement and optimization of CTV and linear TV advertising. By integrating iSpot’s Unified Measurement platform, MobileFuse aims to offer advertisers deeper insights, greater reach, and improved ROI for their media campaigns.