Mobile gaming company Big Viking Games has acquired Gallop Labs, a data science company founded in Toronto.
Gallop developed audience intelligence tools and positions itself as being in the “growth hacking” business. Big Viking was previously a client alongside national brands such as The New York Times and RBC.
Gallop’s has earned several accolades since its founding. It recently won a Facebook Innovation Award and, in 2014, was named one of Canada’s Most Innovative Companies at the Canadian Innovation Exchange.
“We’re very excited to bring the talented Gallop team on board,” said Lai, in a release. “Their proven track record of turning data into actionable audience insights will help us provide more engaging gameplay experiences for our existing players.”
Big Viking said in its release that audience data will play a key role in future profitability for mobile companies as mobile advertising costs go up. “With the improved analytical muscle of the Gallop team, Big Viking is ideally positioned to take on new first and third-party publishing opportunities,” said Lai.
Readers may remember that Alkarim Nasser, a former 30 Under 30 honouree, had helped found Gallop under the auspices of BNotions, the development firm he helped create. Nasser stepped away from day-to-day tasks at BNotions to become head of product at the data science company in late 2014. Nasser subsequently joined Facebook as a product manager, but remains on the Gallop board of directors.
