Berlin-based crowdtesting platform Testhub has been acquired by US company uTest, which is simultaneously rebranding as Applause. Described only as a “multi-million euro deal” made up of a combination of cash and equity, the Testhub team will remain in Germany to head up operations in the European Union. Growth investment firm Berlin Technologie Holdings (BTH), meanwhile, will become a strategic investor in Applause EU as well as an advisor and a facilitator.
Over the next month, Testhub will make several new hires and begin to market, sell and deliver Applause products including in-the-wild app testing, mobile SDKs, mobile analytics and a 360-degree app quality dashboard. Both companies have clients like Microsoft, Google and Deutsche Telekom.
“We’re very proud of what Testhub has achieved, and joining forces with uTest – now Applause – is a great scenario and a phenomenal opportunity to combine global reach with European expertise,” said Testhub CEO Jan Wolter. “We believe in building long-term relationships with our companies to help them launch consistently high-quality apps. That’s what we’ve done as Testhub and what we will do even better as Applause EU.”
Applause’s chief marketing and strategy officer Matt Johnston said: ““Testhub stood out because they were building the right way – by focusing on their customers and employees. … The Testhub team truly understands the European market – including localisation, fragmentation and data security – and this move demonstrates our commitment to delivering robust, secure, world-class service to European customers.”
Boston-based Applause launched as uTest in 2008 and has since chalked up total funding of $80 million (€57.7m at today’s exchange rate), more than half of which was from a Series E round earlier this year which was led by Goldman Sachs. It’s move into Europe is a logical one in a space which is hotting up as companies realise the potential benefits from crowdsourced testing – one report from IDC suggests News UK, which is part of News Corp, would see a gain of £1.93 million (€2.35m) over five years from using Applause’s services.