Irish omnichannel customer engagement platform buys UK gamification firm Thunderbite.
Dublin-headquartered software business Xtremepush has acquired Thunderbite, a provider of gamification and loyalty programmes.
The acquisition brings together two innovative companies in a game-changing unified solution that will redefine player engagement, and boost customer loyalty, in the sports betting and iGaming industry (SBG), as well as in the e-commerce, publishing, and financial services verticals that Xtremepush also serves.
“We are excited about the future and the endless possibilities this acquisition brings to the industry”
Xtremepush CEO Tommy Kearns said the combined strengths of both companies will offer a seamless experience for brands, driving growth and retention in the SBG market and elsewhere.
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“We are excited about the future and the endless possibilities this acquisition brings to the industry,” Kearns said.
“The unified solution of Xtremepush and Thunderbite offers 1:1 player experiences, straight out of the box, saving time and enhancing the user experience.
“Combining Thunderbite’s gamification expertise with real-time data from Xtremepush, as well as our AI and omnichannel activation, we can deliver performing, personalised acquisition and retention strategies for clients.”
Ready player one
The strategic acquisition makes Xtremepush the most comprehensive iGaming solution on the market. Thanks to the unified nature of the platform, and the seamless flow of data across all modules, the tech firm will deliver hyper-personalised and lifecycle-specific player experiences, across all channels and touch-points, the business reports.
Xtremepush will also be in a position now to expand on first party data, enhancing the customer experience at scale, and driving ongoing loyalty.
All twenty-three Thunderbite employees, including the three founding shareholders, Mark van der Putten, Lisa Langhorn, and John Smith, the business CEO and Sales Director, are joining Xtremepush, bringing their expertise and innovation to the expanded operation.
The Thunderbite company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Gibraltar, with offices in mainland UK, Finland and in the Netherlands. Its business team sees the company acquisition as securing a strong future for the operation, co-founder John Smith says.
“We are stronger than ever before, and this exciting development sets us apart from our competitors. This is a significant milestone, not only for Xtremepush and for Thunderbite, but for the iGaming sector and other industry sectors invested in personalised digital marketing.”
Global footprint
In 2021, Xtremepush secured $33m in growth finance to scale globally. The funding round included equity funding from Grafton Capital, a London-based growth investor in leading European technology companies.
The Dublin headquartered tech business, which currently employs 100 people, doubled staff numbers in the last eighteen months.
A new office in Manhattan, New York, opened in 2021 to support accelerated growth in North America and Latin America, where Xtremepush clients include Groupe Dynamite, betsul, desert diamond, Golden Nugget, Fallsview, Pollard Banknote, Oregon State Lottery, IGT and Playtech.
The new Xtremepush product offering will revolutionise the role of F2P games in customer activation and retention, reactivation and growth, Tommy Kearns explains.
“We are the only unified platform on the SBG market globally, which addresses major pain points for operators, who can now have their data flowing, end to end, from day one. This essentially creates a one-to-one seamless and exciting experience for their customers.
“Our comprehensive solution ensures every aspect of the customer journey is addressed, providing unparalleled value to operators, through relevant, timely player communication that will drive engagement and loyalty. Essentially, we are setting a new standard in the industry.”
Founded in 2014 in Rathmines in Dublin, by CEO Tommy Kearns and Dr Kevin Collins, its chief technical officer, Xtremepush has been placed in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards for three consecutive years.
Main image at top: Edward Barroll Brown of Grafton Capital (left) with Dr Kevin Collins and Tommy Kearns of Xtremepush
