Gallop Labs, a startup that helps mobile publishers identify and make money from valuable users, has been acquired by one of its customers, Big Viking Games.
In the press release announcing the acquisition, Big Viking CEO Albert Lai (previously co-founder of Kontagent and also an investor in Gallop) said the team’s “proven track record of turning data into actionable audience insights will help us provide more engaging gameplay experiences for our existing players.” Lai told me that six team members will be joining Big Viking, representing “the majority” of Gallop’s headcount.
Gallop co-founder and CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan reportedly told BetaKit he would not be moving over and described the deal as “more of a technology platform acquisition.” (Lai confirmed that Ramakrishnan will not be joining Big Viking.)
Gallop Labs’ customers included The New York Times, Accuweather and RBC Royal Bank. The product is being shut down, but Lai said, “A transition plan for all Gallop customers has been in the works for many weeks.”
Big Viking’s games include YoWorld — previously known as YoVille, which it sold to Zynga in 2008 and then reacquired in 2014. Lai said the company now has more than 100 employees and has grown without external equity funding.
Gallop Labs, meanwhile, raised $2 million in seed funding from investors including Golden Venture Partners and Mantella Venture Partners. It was incubated by Bnotions.