MessageBird CEO Robert Vis. Image: Roger Cremers
The additional funding will help finance the company’s push into the US market after acquiring email platform SparkPost.
Cloud communications platform MessageBird has raised a further $800m in Series C funding, bringing the round to more than $1bn.
The Dutch company, which develops software for accessing and managing disparate communications channels, announced a $200m Series C investment last October. It is now valued at $3.8bn.
Eurazeo, Tiger Global, Owl Rock and funds managed by BlackRock, along with several existing investors, have backed the company in this round.
As well as announcing the hefty investment, MessageBird has put the funds to use in acquiring email platform SparkPost for $600m.
Maryland-based SparkPost develops a predictive email intelligence platform. It will be integrated with MessageBird’s services to build a wider omnichannel communications platform.
“Our acquisition of SparkPost will further strengthen our ability to serve customers through email as a powerful value channel and with the most contextual, relevant information,” MessageBird chief executive Robert Vis said.
Rich Harris, CEO of SparkPost, said the combined company will “be able to bring broader, deeper value to all of our customers through any digital communications channel”.
The acquisition will expand MessageBird’s presence in the US market. According to the company, it now has more than 25,000 customers including Disney, PayPal and JPMorgan.
“We’re also enthusiastic to expand our global business into the US market and leverage the acquisition as a logical and exciting next step in our mission to be the leading platform of choice for businesses to communicate with their customers on any channel, globally,” Vis said.
MessageBird has several acquisitions under its belt. Last month, it acquired video communications start-up 24Sessions and customer data platform Hull. In December it acquired UK company Pusher for $35m.
MessageBird is headquartered in Amsterdam and has 700 employees. It has offices around the world, including a base in Dublin.
