Chicago Startup Persio Acquired by Clutch
Persio, a Chicago startup that makes software that helps brands automatically send customized mobile messages to customers, has been acquired by a Philadelphia marketing company.
On Thursday, Clutch, a data-driven marketing company that counts Pandora, New Balance, Godiva and Citizen among its customers, announced it has acquired Persio. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Persio is a mobile marketing platform that creates unique ways for advertisers to connect with customers through things like mobile “scratch-and-win offers,” image and video text messages, and promotions for mobile apps.
The combined company will use the Clutch name, and will employ a total of 75 people in Clutch’s suburban Philadelphia office and in Persio’s existing office in Chicago, the company said. Nick Doulas, the CEO and co-founder of Persio, will be staying on as head of product. All Persio employees will be staying on post-acquisition, a spokesperson said.
“Clutch built its business on unifying data to give marketers an actionable, complete view of their customers, and blending our capabilities with theirs is just natural,” Doulas said in a statement. “Together we can integrate customer data into virtually every marketing activity, from loyalty and gift to direct mail or e-commerce, and of course, mobile.”
Persio launched in 2012 and raised $5.5 million in equity from investors such as Origin Ventures, Hyde Park Angels, Hyde Park Venture Partners, Illinois Ventures and OCA Ventures. It counts Express, Ikea and BMW among the brands that use its platform.
Clutch, also founded in 2012, has raised around $20 million from Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Safeguard Scientifics. The company announced that along with the Persio acquisition, it has raised an additional $5.25 million round of funding.
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