Tag: TechCrunch

United States – TechCrunch, the influential tech news and analysis platform, has transitioned to new ownership, with private equity firm Regent acquiring it from Yahoo.

According to a post by editor-in-chief and general manager Connie Loizos, the financial terms of the sale remain undisclosed. However, TechCrunch emphasised that the deal with Regent is designed to ensure minimal disruption to its operations.

Aside from relocating offices, the company will see no major changes, with its current team of journalists remaining in place.

TechCrunch was part of Verizon’s media assets, including Yahoo. In 2021, Apollo Global Management acquired these assets for $5b and rebranded them under Yahoo.

With the latest ownership change, TechCrunch joins Regent’s expanding media portfolio. Notably, Regent has been growing its presence in tech media, recently acquiring Foundry—the parent company of PCWorld, Macworld, InfoWorld, CIO, and TechAdvisor—according to Reuters.

“As close followers of TechCrunch already know, this isn’t our first rodeo when it comes to new ownership. But what mattered most in this transition was ensuring that our team retains the freedom and support to do what we do best. With Regent, we have exactly that,” Loizos wrote. 

Loizos also noted that Yahoo is retaining a small stake in TechCrunch rather than cutting ties entirely. She explained that Yahoo opted to sell TechCrunch because its focus and approach differ from the rest of Yahoo’s portfolio, which includes Yahoo Sports, Yahoo News, and Yahoo Finance.

“My personal thanks to Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone, who has been an incredible mentor and sounding board and to whom I’m deeply grateful. So to Yahoo, thank you for standing by us through some tougher times. And to Regent, we love your enthusiasm for what we do, and we’re excited to embark on this next chapter with you,” she remarked. 

Sydney, Australia – Regional technology public relations agency The PR Group has announced the appointment of former TechCrunch senior reporter Catherine Shu as its new director of content and media. 

In her new role, Shu will be based in Taiwan and will work closely with the VC and technology ecosystem. She will oversee the content services offered by the PR Group and is expected to play a key role in the agency’s growth across Southeast Asia. 

Prior to her appointment, she spent twelve years as a senior reporter at TechCrunch, where she extensively covered startups of various types and sizes, as well as breaking news from Asia and the United States. 

Shu gained recognition in the industry for her insightful analysis pieces on the Asian tech sector, effectively contextualising different markets, sectors, policies, and trends for global audiences. Additionally, her work has been featured in esteemed publications such as the New York Times, Barron’s, and the Wall Street Journal.

With this appointment, Shu will now be part of The PR Group, which has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, and Singapore and has supported the growth of some of the most innovative companies in tech across B2B and consumer, including Accenture, Rippling, Dropbox, Square, GoFundMe, Deliveroo, Temple & Webster, Fiverr, Indeed, RMIT, Domain, Etsy, SEEK, Nextdoor, and Zoho.

Caroline Shawyer, CEO and co-founder of The PR Group, said, “Catherine’s deep knowledge of the Asian region combined with her networks will enhance our ability to help global technology companies tap the immense growth opportunities that Southeast Asia affords while also supporting regional companies to expand into new markets.”

“Increasingly, we are seeing more companies turn to us for help in building their content hubs to drive deeper conversations across channels and audiences. Catherine will play a key role in growing this offering and enhancing our ability to help clients tell compelling stories with impact. We’re delighted to have Catherine onboard and look forward to further cementing our position as a leading technology PR partner for the best and fastest-growing companies in APAC,” she added. 

Also commenting on her appointment, Shu said, “I have worked with The PR Group’s team for over a decade now and have always been impressed by the calibre of their client base and the company’s approach to storytelling. When they approached me with the opportunity and outlined their vision for the region, it was something I knew I wanted to be part of and will allow me to continue to build upon my deep connections with startups and VCs. I am excited about the opportunity ahead.”