AppLovin

What began in 2012 as a vision by co-founders Adam Foroughi, John Krystynak, and Andrew Karam to help mobile developers has blossomed into a global technology leader. AppLovin initially operated in stealth mode, securing $4 million in angel investments and early backing from Streamlined Ventures and the Webb Investment Network. Even before officially launching out of stealth in 2014, the company had already attracted notable clients like Opentable and Spotify, signaling its promising future. The early days were marked by rapid growth and a clear validation of their innovative approach to mobile app marketing and monetization. I remember how excited we were to make our first $1,000 in revenue. Soon we made $5,000 and we continued to grow quickly,' recalled CEO Adam Foroughi, reflecting on the company's initial traction.

The journey continued with strategic acquisitions and expansions. In October 2014, AppLovin acquired German mobile ad-network Moboqo. A significant milestone was the launch of Lion Studios in July 2018, a division dedicated to working with mobile developers to publish and promote their games. This move solidified AppLovin's commitment to the gaming ecosystem. The company's growth trajectory was further fueled by a $400 million investment from KKR & Co. Inc. in August 2018 and the acquisition of in-app bidding company MAX in September 2018. Subsequent years saw further strategic acquisitions, including SafeDK in 2019, Machine Zone (MZ) in 2020, and Adjust in February 2021. A pivotal moment arrived on April 15, 2021, when AppLovin became a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol APP, with an initial valuation of approximately $24 billion. The acquisition of Twitter's MoPub business for $1.05 billion, announced in October 2021 and finalized in January 2022, marked another major step in consolidating its market position. Today, AppLovin stands as a comprehensive platform offering a suite of tools that empower developers to market, monetize, analyze, and publish their apps to a worldwide audience, driven by sophisticated AI and a relentless pursuit of innovation.