Aptoide, a leading online platform for Android applications based in Lisbon, has recently declared the acquisition of €8.5M in new funding. This investment round was led by Digital Turbine, a top independent platform specializing in mobile growth.
Over a year following Digital Turbine’s strategic investment announcement in Aptoide back in October 2022, a new development has emerged. This recent financial injection from Digital Turbine was a segment of Aptoide’s Series-B funding round, which successfully raised $12M. Notably, this round also saw participation from Faurecia, Portugal Ventures, and the 200M Fund, a co-investment firm based in Portugal.
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Aptoide, an innovative company in the mobile app space, is gearing up to propel growth and advance two of its mobile app platforms, GamesHub and Catappult, using the newly acquired funds.
GamesHub, a collaborative venture between Digital Turbine and Aptoide, is a specialized game app store rapidly becoming the preferred choice among major U.S. operators. The platform is focused on broadening its footprint in the U.S. market, aiming to be accessible on 80 to 100 million devices by the end of 2023. Strategic alliances with carriers like ATT, Verizon, USCellular, Tracfone, Cricket, and BLU US are poised to elevate GamesHub’s growth and success in 2024.
On the other hand, Catappult offers an innovative approach to mobile gaming distribution and monetization. It serves as a bridge, connecting developers to over 20 alternative app stores globally, thereby simplifying the processes of distribution, promotion, and monetization for its hundreds of millions of users.
Additionally, this influx of capital will enable the platform to buy back shares from existing shareholders, offering them a substantial return on their investment.
Aptoide’s CEO, Paulo Trezentos, expressed excitement about fortifying their partnership with Digital Turbine. He emphasized the significance of this investment in enhancing app discovery and distribution, remarking, “This investment is a testament to Aptoide’s remarkable growth and potential. It’s a step forward in revolutionizing the mobile app distribution scene, leveraging Digital Turbine’s expertise.”
Aptoide: The Social Hub for Android Apps
Established in 2011 by Paulo Trezentos and Alvaro Pinto, Aptoide stands as the pioneering social Android app store.
Boasting a massive community of over 430 million users, 4 billion downloads, and 1 million apps, Aptoide is reshaping the app discovery process. It offers a unique, community-driven platform that integrates social elements, personalized recommendations, and the capability for users to establish and share their own custom app stores.
Additionally, Aptoide caters to developers, OEMs, Telcos, and Integrators with its customizable white-label App Store solutions, enabling them to upload and distribute their Android apps effectively.
The Aptoide App Store, supporting a wide array of devices including mobile, TV, and VR, prides itself on its global reach, being available in over 40 languages.
About the Investor
Digital Turbine operates as a comprehensive mobile platform that forges connections between advertisers, publishers, carriers, and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers).
Its unique approach involves integrating a complete advertising suite with its own advanced technology, embedded directly within the devices of wireless operators and OEMs. This integration significantly boosts both advertising effectiveness and monetization opportunities.
Bill Stone, the CEO of Digital Turbine, commented on their collaboration with Aptoide, saying, “Our alliance with Aptoide has been instrumental in crafting a finely-tuned environment for elite app discovery, especially through GamesHub. This evolving partnership benefits from the shared technological expertise of both companies, aiming to create innovative distribution solutions for our mobile operator, OEM, and app developer clientele. We’re genuinely enthusiastic about the prospects of this collaboration and the strategic journey we’re embarking on together.”
