YouGov acquires Yabble

6 August 2024

YouGov plc

("YouGov" or "the Group" or "the Company")

YouGov acquires Yabble

YouGov to transform its Data Products using generative AI through the acquisition of Yabble

YouGov, the international research and data analytics group, announces the acquisition of Yabble, a New Zealand based company pioneering the use of generative AI to deliver audience insights. The acquisition will see YouGov acquire Yabble's technology to power new and valuable insights for clients across the world, while also seeing YouGov's data become the foundation of Yabble's industry leading AI platform.

Yabble currently has 13 full-time employees globally and has been developing cutting edge generative AI-powered tools specifically for the research industry since 2019. Its products are trusted by a range of Fortune 500 customers and major international brands, including some of YouGov's largest clients.

Yabble's technology is perfectly placed to take advantage of the enormous growth in generative AI in the insights industry. Its platform is built with a series of proprietary algorithms, custom fine-tuned models and complex prompt engineering to deliver the most sophisticated and accurate tools available, creating instant insights for every stage of the market research process. Yabble was also acknowledged by leading industry site Greenbook, in the GRIT Top 50 Most Innovative Supplier list for 2023.

YouGov has been working closely with the Yabble team over the past year on the development and launch of the Group's first client-facing AI product, YouGov AI Qual Explorer, which has seen positive uptake and feedback from clients. Initially, Yabble's revolutionary technology will be integrated with YouGov's core Data Products to accelerate the development of AI-enabled features and set the standard for use of generative AI in market research.

Steve Hatch, YouGov CEO:

"Generative AI is transforming the insight landscape and with the acquisition of Yabble, YouGov is strongly positioned to take advantage of this change. Early adopters of Yabble's pioneering technology include some of the most data-savvy brands. I have seen how powerful the combination of YouGov's data and Yabble's technology is, and I am excited for more clients to experience this. This acquisition will transform the way our clients derive insights from YouGov Profiles' two million datapoints and gain maximum value from YouGov's unique dataset.

We have been building towards this acquisition over the past six months and we're excited to welcome Kathryn and Yabble's team of world leading prompt engineers, machine learning experts and data and analytics professionals to YouGov."

Kathryn Topp, Yabble Co-Founder and CEO:

"The best AI runs on the best quality data and YouGov's proprietary panel is the gold standard in attitude and opinion data. The combination of Yabble's cutting-edge AI tools and YouGov's quality dataset will provide clients with the best, fastest, most effortless insights available.

"But this is just the beginning. Yabble has the largest domain expertise in the space, the most sophisticated technology and algorithms to be able to get at the best answers. When combined with YouGov's increasing volume of best-in-market behavioural data, it provides a blueprint for the future of what research and insights should be and we look forward to joining the YouGov family."

Additional Listing

Yabble has been wholly acquired by YouGov through a combination of cash and a three year earn-out based on specific revenue targets being met. The initial cash consideration for the acquisition is £4.5 million and has been funded through existing cash resources, with the sellers agreeing to apply a portion of the cash proceeds towards a phased subscription for Ordinary Shares (as defined below) in YouGov, at their market value.

The Group announces that application has therefore been made to the London Stock Exchange for 546,951 new ordinary shares of 0.2 pence each in the Company ('Ordinary Shares') to be admitted to AIM.

The new Ordinary Shares will, upon issue, rank pari passu with the existing ordinary share capital of the Company. It is expected that admission will become effective on 09 August 2024.

Following the issue and allotment of the new Ordinary Shares as described above, the Company will have 117,673,290 Ordinary Shares in issue. No Ordinary Shares are held in treasury.

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About YouGov

YouGov is an international online research data and analytics technology group.

Our mission is to offer unparalleled insight into what the world thinks.

Our innovative solutions help the world's most recognised brands, media owners and agencies to plan, activate and track their marketing activities better.

With operations in the UK, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia Pacific, we have one of the world's largest research networks.

At the core of our platform is an ever-growing source of consumer data that has been amassed over our twenty years of operation. We call it Living Data. All of our products and services draw upon this detailed understanding of our 27+ million registered panel members to deliver accurate, actionable consumer insights.

As innovators and pioneers of online market research, we have a strong reputation as a trusted source of accurate data and insights. Testament to this, YouGov data is regularly referenced by the global press, and we are the most quoted market research source in the world.

YouGov. Living Consumer Intelligence.

For further information, visit business.yougov.com