TechCrunch Acquired by Regent: Private Equity Firm Takes Over Tech News Giant
Staff Editor TechCrunch Acquired by Regent in Latest Ownership Shift
In a significant move within the tech media landscape, TechCrunch has been sold by Yahoo to private equity firm Regent for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition marks the latest chapter in TechCrunch’s ownership history, which has seen several transitions since its founding in 2005.
The sale comes on the heels of Regent’s recent acquisition of Foundry, the company behind well-known tech publications such as PCWorld, Macworld, and TechAdvisor. This move suggests a growing interest in tech media properties by the private equity firm.
TechCrunch’s journey through various corporate hands began in 2010 when AOL acquired the popular tech news site. Subsequently, Verizon’s acquisition of AOL in 2015 and Yahoo in 2017 brought TechCrunch under the umbrella of Verizon Media, initially branded as Oath. In 2021, Verizon sold its media division to Apollo Global Management, which rebranded it as Yahoo.
The decision to sell TechCrunch appears to be driven by strategic differences between Yahoo and the tech news outlet. TechCrunch’s editor-in-chief, Connie Loizos, noted that Yahoo’s corporate DNA differs from that of TechCrunch, suggesting a misalignment in focus and strategy.
Despite the sale, Yahoo will retain a small interest in TechCrunch. The media company continues to own several prominent digital properties, including Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo News, and the tech site Engadget. However, Engadget faced challenges last year with layoffs across its leadership team.
As TechCrunch embarks on this new phase under Regent’s ownership, the tech media industry will be watching closely to see how this change impacts the renowned publication’s coverage and direction in the fast-paced world of technology news.
