Verve Group SE expands its demand‑side capabilities through strategic acquisitions

Verve Group SE, the Swedish‑based digital advertising platform listed on Xetra, announced a two‑pronged expansion of its demand‑side operations in mid‑September 2025. The company completed the purchase of London‑headquartered Captify Technologies for 25.6 million € and, shortly thereafter, agreed to acquire Germany’s Acardo Group for 24.5 million €. These transactions are intended to broaden Verve’s data assets, enhance its artificial‑intelligence (AI) search capabilities, and strengthen its position outside the “walled‑garden” ecosystems that dominate much of the online advertising landscape.

Captify – a data‑rich AI‑powered search platform

Captify Technologies is a London‑based provider of AI‑driven search‑engine solutions that delivers high‑quality search data from websites operating outside major social‑media platforms. By integrating Captify’s on‑site search data, Verve gains access to one of the largest repositories of user search queries that is not confined to the advertising silos of the big tech companies. This data is pivotal for delivering more precise audience targeting and for creating higher‑performing campaigns on the demand side of the advertising funnel.

The acquisition, announced on 17 September 2025 and confirmed by the company’s press release on 18 September, was valued at 25.6 million €. Verve’s CEO noted that Captify’s technology complements the firm’s existing advertising software and will accelerate the development of AI‑enhanced bidding and creative optimization tools. The move is also expected to deepen Verve’s relationships with publishers and media partners by offering a richer set of search‑based targeting options.

Acardo – a consumer‑activation partner

On 17 September, Verve also disclosed its intention to acquire Acardo Group, a German provider of digital consumer‑activation solutions, for 24.5 million €. Acardo’s portfolio includes tools for customer‑journey mapping, loyalty program integration, and performance analytics. The purchase is scheduled for completion on 1 October 2025 and will allow Verve to broaden its suite of services offered to advertisers, particularly in the European market.

Unlike Captify, Acardo’s strengths lie in post‑acquisition consumer engagement rather than real‑time search data. By adding Acardo to its portfolio, Verve positions itself as a more complete end‑to‑end solution for brands that wish to move beyond ad placement into sustained customer relationships.

Market implications

The dual acquisitions reinforce Verve’s strategy of becoming a comprehensive demand‑side platform (DSP) that can offer advertisers access to high‑quality data, AI‑driven optimization, and consumer‑activation capabilities. Analysts note that the deal strengthens Verve’s competitive stance against larger DSPs that dominate the market, while keeping the company’s operations outside the restrictive ecosystems of the major technology conglomerates.

The transactions also carry implications for Verve’s financials. The company’s 52‑week high and low—4.184 € and 1.75 € respectively—highlight the volatility that investors have to navigate. With a price‑earnings ratio of 15.53, the market will be watching whether the expanded data assets and new service lines can translate into sustainable earnings growth.

Forward outlook

Verve’s CEO emphasized that the Captify and Acardo acquisitions are part of a broader roadmap to diversify revenue streams and reduce dependency on any single data source. The firm plans to integrate Captify’s search data into its existing advertising platform within the next six months, while Acardo’s consumer‑activation tools are slated for a phased rollout starting in the first quarter of 2026.

Investors will likely assess the success of these integrations through the next earnings cycle, looking for indicators such as increased average revenue per user (ARPU) and a higher proportion of clients using the full stack of Verve’s demand‑side and consumer‑activation services.

In summary, Verve Group SE’s recent acquisitions of Captify and Acardo represent a decisive push toward becoming a more data‑rich, AI‑enabled, and consumer‑centric advertising platform—an evolution that could reshape its competitive dynamics within the European digital advertising market.