Facebook marketing technology company acquires Young Gun’s business iPlatform

Leading provider of Facebook marketing technology Betapond has announced its acquisition of London-based iPlatform, which was co-founded by 2011 Young Gun Joshua March.

The entrepreneur behind social media fan page and conversation management business Conversocial, which raised £1.5m last year, started iPlatform in 2008 as a way for companies to engage with their customers.

iPlatform specialises in building social applications for the Facebook and Facebook Connect Platforms.

Founded in 2009 in Waterford, Ireland, Betapond develops custom Facebook integrations for clients including M&S, Unilever, Intel, Avis, Red Bull, Tourism Ireland, The Met Office and Paddy Power.

The company has offices in London, Dublin, Waterford and San Jose and is hoping to grow to 30 London-based employees in 2013.

Moreover, it is hoped that the combined cash and stock transaction, which follows Betapond’s €1.15m venture capital funding in January 2012, will enable the combined company to offer global brands and their agencies greater depth of resources for developing innovative Facebook integrations.

Announcing the acquisition at the Facebook London offices during Social Media Week, March said, “We started iPlatform in 2008 because we believed that the Facebook platform was the most genuine way for companies to engage with their customers.

“Since then we’ve worked with hundreds of brands to help them deliver Facebook campaigns in the most engaging and social way possible. Betapond is uniquely positioned to help take the iPlatform vision and team to the next level, and we’re excited to be supporting their fast expansion in the UK.”