Flipkart acquires ad network AdIQuity, has more mobile startups in its shopping list

Indian ecommerce leader Flipkart has just announced its acquisition of mobile ad network AdIQuity which enables app developers and mobile publishers to monetize their inventory. “M&A (mergers and acquisitions) is a key focus for us this year. And given our concentration on mobile, companies that have made a mark in this space will be on our radar,” a Flipkart spokesperson told Tech in Asia.

Headquartered in Bangalore, AdIQuity helps ad agencies, ad networks, demand-side platforms (DSP), and other media buyers to acquire global quality mobile traffic and cash in on new revenue opportunities opening up. Besides India, the startup has offices in Singapore, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur.

According to the Flipkart spokesperson, “AdIQuity has a history of mobile innovations, valuable experience in the ad space, and a talented tech team – all of which are a great strategic fit for Flipkart.”

AdIQuity was founded in 2006 by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi graduate Anurag Dod who worked with a few multinational companies in the US before moving back to India to become an entrepreneur. The startup claims to have 150 million monthly active users in its network and generates 25 billion ad impressions every month.

Well-funded ecommerce companies in India are now going beyond adding new categories, products, and sellers to their platforms, by taking the acquisition route to get ahead in the race with competitors. A few weeks ago, Snapdeal acquired luxury fashion estore Exclusively. With this, Snapdeal plans to build an online luxury mall where top fashion brands can open their estores. It had earlier acquired Wishpicker, a startup that uses intelligent recommendation engines to come up with gifting options.

Flipkart and Snapdeal are the highest funded ecommerce companies in India, and their global rival Amazon is also investing billions of dollars in the Indian market.