US-based Qliktag acquires digital media agency Buzzfactory

California-headquartered mobile technology company Qliktag Software Inc. has acquired Buzzfactory Interactive Pvt Ltd, a social media & digital agency based out of Pune, for an undisclosed sum.

Qliktag had earlier made an angel investment in Buzzfactory in January last year for a minority stake in the firm.

Post acquisition, Buzzfactory will continue to be headed by Neil Sequeira who will assume the role of CEO, along with core team members Trupti Mulajkar-Deshmukh and Kunal Bajaj to manage client operations and growth in India. They will be joined by Jeff Ballard, head of Qliktag (North America).

Buzzfactory will continue to be a social media & digital agency, and will additionally expand its business to in-store mobile merchandising and mobile engagement through the technology platform launched by Qliktag.

With this acquisition, Qlicktag plans to promote its mobile merchandising and engagement technology within India and develop the North American client base for Buzzfactory's solutions.

"This acquisition will help Buzzfactory expand its existing services into the US and global markets through developing a stronger presence there, and introduce Qliktag's technology to Asia and India where the mobile-equipped consumer base is large and more businesses are looking for innovative ways to capture their attention and engage them," said Neil Sequeira, founder & CEO of Buzzfactory.

Founded in 2009 by Sequeira, an MBA in marketing from University of Wales, Buzzfactory is a 360 degree social media and digital agency with capabilities in content strategy, communication, social media and the digital domain as a medium for businesses. The company's clients include Gridlogics Technologies, Yogacara Apparels, Grow VC International, Springboard Ventures, Autowale.in, Catapooolt and Hoopos, among others.

Qliktag provides mobile-based personalised communication and feedback solutions to brands and retailers. The company's products include Q Engine, a cloud-based in-store mobile engagement platform; Q Loyalty, a mobile loyalty solution; and Q App, a custom branded white-label in-store app for brands or retailers.

"With acquiring Buzzfactory's creative services capabilities in deploying in-store mobile experiences using Qliktag's technology platform, we are essentially adding value through being able to offer a more complete innovative software plus services to customers," said Dilip Daswani, CEO of Qliktag.

Qliktag has also acquired Data Aggregator Software and related technology assets from epcSolutions, Inc., including Nutrifacts, a mobile app for scanning groceries and product barcodes to receive color-coded information on nutrition facts and coupons at the point of sale straight to a smartphone.

A software solutions provider in the retail space, epcSolutions provides RFID compliance software to companies like Walmart and the Department of Defense (DOD) supplier community, as well as barcode solutions and data aggregator software that improve supply chain management for GS1 countries.

(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)