Air2Web, MindMatics merge

The field of mobile marketing startups continued to winnow as Atlanta’s Air2Web and Germany’s MindMatics agreed to merge.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Air2Web launched years ago as a wireless messaging and technology firm, but has morphed into a firm that executes mobile marketing campaigns and builds wireless Web sites for brands including The Weather Channel, Procter & Gamble and others. The company’s backers include The Carlyle Group, Jupiter Ventures and Vantage Point Venture Partners.
MindMatics has gained traction in Europe delivering promotional and marketing applications with partners such as Unilever, T-Mobile, Sony Ericsson, Budweiser and McDonald’s. Investors in the Munich-based firm include T-Mobile Venture Fund, Tempo Capital and Holtzbrinck Ventures.
The deal follows a flurry of recent M&A activity in the mobile marketing space. AOL L.L.C. was one of the first into the fray with the May acquisition of Third Screen Media; since then, Nokia Corp. has agreed to acquire Enpocket, Yahoo Inc. pocketed Munich’s Actionality, Microsoft Corp. snapped up France’s ScreenTonic and content provider Buongiorno S.p.A. has made several smaller acquisitions.
Air2Web and MindMatics claim the merger will result in “the world’s largest, independent, pure-play mobile marketing agency.” Ingo Lippert, MindMatics’ CEO, will serve as managing director of European business for the combined company, which apparently will do business under Air2Web’s brand.
“Mobile marketing is evolving and, in turn, creating remarkable value and opportunity for vendors, marketers and consumers alike,” Lippert said. “Together we are very focused on meeting changing market needs and consumer demand, and are well-positioned to leverage those resources for the benefit of our customers worldwide.”