ANDY LISTER
Managing Partner
GiveMeSport, headquartered in London, is a leading next generation sports media company with the largest single sports publisher Facebook page in the world, with over 25.9 million fans. By way of comparison, the next largest single sports publisher Facebook page is ESPN with 15.2 million fans. GiveMeSport’s content generates over 3.6 billion impressions (Feb-17), reaching over 138 million unique users (Feb-17) per month on Facebook alone.
Breaking Data Corp, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is a provider of semantic search, machine learning and natural language processing technology (NLP). Breaking Data Corp’s showcase app, BreakingSports, utilizes semantic machine learning and NLP to track social media in a fully automated, real-time manner for significant sports information and events and distributes summarized information through real-time push notifications to consumers.
The rationale for the acquisition is to combine GiveMeSport’s huge social media fanbase with Breaking Data’s mobile application, and techniques in advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The transaction was effected by way of a securities exchange between Breaking Data Corp and GiveMeSport (source: Breaking Data Corp press release, 12 April 2017).
Andy Lister, Partner at Acuity, commented:
“It has been a real pleasure to work with GiveMeSport – one of the world’s leading next generation sports publishers and the world’s largest single publisher Facebook page.
We believe that GiveMeSport’s impressive Facebook fanbase, deep relationships with global sports brands and advertisers, and technology-driven approach to publishing will be further enhanced by Breaking Data Corp’s machine learning and AI technology platform.”
“Matt and the Acuity team played a key role in supporting both GCP and the management team throughout this deal. We chose Acuity because of their deep software & fintech sector knowledge, hands-on mentality and value adding insight – and the team have delivered.”
RICHARD SHAW | Partner
Growth Capital Partner
Team Members
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Andy has spent the last ten years advising entrepreneurs, shareholders and boards on business sales, acquisitions, equity fund raisings, valuations and strategic reviews. Andy has worked with clients in a number of technology-enabled sectors, including smart infrastructure, the internet of things, M2M communications and clean technology, and has also worked with a number of high growth manufacturing and industrial distribution businesses.
Andy has a particular interest in cross border M&A, has completed deals with North American, European, African and Asian counterparties, and brings practical emerging markets experience having worked as an M&A advisor in India from 2008 – 2010.
Andy is a prize-winning chartered accountant, qualifying in 2004 with KPMG in Leeds, before joining KPMG’s Corporate Finance team in London in 2005. Andy was a Director at KPMG before joining Acuity in July 2015.