In a move that strengthens its position in the Russian-speaking Internet market, Yandex has acquired Web analytics startup WebVisor at a cost of ca. $0.5 million. Yandex made the deal with the startup’s owner, Visor Ltd., after WebVisor attended the Yandex.Start program. The program was initiated by Yandex last year as a means of giving promising technology startups the opportunity to join them.
As a result of the deal, WebVisor employees have already been rolled into Yandex and are currently working on integrating their Web analytics technology into Yandex’ existing platform. WebVisor will continue to service existing customers but will not take on any new ones.
Yandex (www.yandex.ru)
As the largest Internet search engine in the Russian-speaking world, Yandex aims to be Russia’s leading Internet and technology company. They specialize in taking their understanding of Russian culture and language and applying it to a search portal which provides services like national and international news, local news, e-mail, user content, and more.
As of 2Q 2010 Yandex controlled roughly 64% of the Russian internet search market, followed by second-place Google at 22.1%. Total ad revenue in 2009 was reported at $278 million.
13/01/2011
Central & Eastern Europe, Internet, E-Commerce & E-Services, Private Equity News, Russia