5 March 2019, 10:15 (CET)

Financial Times acquires majority stake in TNW (The Next Web)

Photo: From left to right: Patrick de Laive (Founder TNW), Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten (Founder and CEO TNW), Robert Jan de Laive (CFO TNW).

5 March 2019

The Financial Times has acquired a controlling stake in TNW (The Next Web). TNW is a global digital brand that informs, inspires and connects people who love tech, through media, events and services.

Primarily known for their events and media outlet, the company has successfully rolled out a diversified revenue strategy and added a curated co-working label (tq.co), a global startup database (index.co) and delivers custom innovation programs to corporates and governments via TNW X. Synergies are created amongst all activities and they all are contributing to the revenue and growth of the business.

The strategic investment, the FT Group's first in continental Europe, will deepen the FT's reach into the European technology community and create synergies with its existing businesses, amongst others FT Live (events).

TNW is an established and profitable business that produces one of the largest and most critically acclaimed tech startup events in Europe. There are clear synergies between TNW and FT Live, in sharing audiences and delivering the FT’s world class journalism on live stages in Europe. We look forward to delivering first class programs with our new partners. Angela Mackay, Global Publisher, FT Live

The FT and TNW have already announced a new content partnership for TNW’s flagship tech conference, TNW2019 (Amsterdam, 9-10 May). The FT will programme one of the 12 event tracks and will co-host The Assembly, an exclusive gathering of technology leaders, industry figures and key policy-makers.

TNW continues to operate independently and its management and the founders (Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten and Patrick de Laive) continue to execute the vision that the company has set out.

It is a huge honour to work together with a company with such a rich history, which is so well respected and well known around the world. FT has a global vision for the future, a future where business and technology audiences are converging and form the thriving force of our society. We look forward to working together in this digital-first age and combining our expertise, networks and influence. Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Founder and CEO, TNW

The deal forms part of a corporate development strategy that has seen the FT diversify its Group business in strategic business areas. The move complements the FT's recent investment in Sifted, a new media site and newsletter targeting Europe's innovators and entrepreneurs, and the expansion of various other tech-themed editorial products, and acquisitions by FT in recent years of AlphaGrid, a content production company, GIS Planning, a San Francisco-based investment intelligence company, and Longitude, a specialist provider of thought leadership and research services.

For more information please contact:

Financial Times: Oliver Stannard | oliver.stannard@ft.com

The Next Web: Vince Dinga | vince@thenextweb.com

About the Financial Times:

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of 985,000, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community.

About TNW (The Next Web):

TNW is a global digital brand that informs, inspires and connects people who love tech, through media, events, and services.