Startups
Verve, the word-of-mouth selling platform, acquires Campus Vacations for $7M
Verve, the word-of-mouth selling platform, has acquired Campus Vacations, a provider of “unforgettable” travel experiences to students across North America.
The thinking behind the acquisition is to increase Verve’s market share and competitive positioning in the North America and Canada markets. Specifically, Verse says it will provide the company with an entrance into the ski market, including key destinations like Punta Cana and Cancun.
Refreshingly, Verve is also disclosing the purchase price of Campus Vacations: $7 million in aggregate, consisting of a combination of cash, shares and “incentives” over time (presumably based on certain milestones and earn-outs being met).
It follows the acquisition of U.S.-based student travel company JusCollege for $25 million in April, as Verve continues to expand beyond its original focus on live music and sporting events, and into travel.
Members of the Campus Vacations team, including co-founder Justin Van Camp, are joining Verve as part of the acquisition. The other co-founders, Alex Handa and Eugene Winer, are to act as Verve advisors. With the assimilation of the Campus Vacations team, Verve now has over 200 employees globally.
Formerly known as StreetTeam, Verve is a platform that enables people to sell experiences to their friends in exchange for rewards, such as event tickets, trips and backstage passes. It counts more than 25,000 active ambassadors and claims to be the global market leader in word-of-mouth sales for live entertainment and travel experiences.
The company works with over 500 music, travel, hotel and sports brands across North America and Europe. Verve also has global partnerships with ticketing companies including Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, Paylogic and Front Gate Tickets.
“Following the success of acquiring the collegiate travel company JusCollege, and the resulting organic growth, we are continuing our aggressive expansion,” say Verve founders Callum and Liam Negus-Fancey in a joint statement.
“Campus Vacations gives us access to incredible destinations, increases our East Coast presence, delivers us a beachhead into ski, and brings us an incredible team. Not only have they built a fast-growing company that sells high-quality student travel packages, but like us, they understand the unique power and opportunity of harnessing the power of enthusiasts to elevate experiences for them and their friends”.
-
Business7 days ago
Langdock raises $3M with General Catalyst to help businesses avoid vendor lock-in with LLMs
-
Entertainment6 days ago
What Robert Durst did: Everything to know ahead of ‘The Jinx: Part 2’
-
Entertainment6 days ago
This nova is on the verge of exploding. You could see it any day now.
-
Business6 days ago
India’s election overshadowed by the rise of online misinformation
-
Business5 days ago
This camera trades pictures for AI poetry
-
Business6 days ago
CesiumAstro claims former exec spilled trade secrets to upstart competitor AnySignal
-
Business4 days ago
TikTok Shop expands its secondhand luxury fashion offering to the UK
-
Business5 days ago
Boston Dynamics unveils a new robot, controversy over MKBHD, and layoffs at Tesla