Applications
InMobi acquires Silicon Valley firm Sprout
MUMBAI: Bangalore-based independent mobile ad network InMobi has acquired US-based Sprout, a leading platform for creating HTML5 rich media mobile advertising.
InMobi said that this acquisition will help the company to address the complexity of planning, creating, distributing, and measuring rich media mobile ads for brands and agencies in India and globally.
InMobi said it has ability to reach 314 million consumers in over 165 countries, through more than 36.2 billion mobile ad impressions monthly.
InMobi CEO Naveen Tewari said, “This acquisition reflects the growing maturity of the global mobile ad industry. Advertisers and ad agencies are looking to engage consumers through ever more immersive and interactive means – InMobi has taken the lead to deliver on this critical market requirement through the acquisition of Sprout.”
Sprout works with the world‘s leading brands, including Nokia, Disney, HTC, Chevrolet, Paramount Pictures and Sega to bring interactive mobile ads to devices supporting HTML5, including Apple iOS and Google Android devices. Its cloud-based platform brings efficiency and scale, helping advertisers build once and deliver everywhere.
Sprout will operate as a fully independent company working with the entire mobile advertising industry to solve the HTML5 creation and delivery problem, and will continue to expand its product in the coming months by adding workflow enhancements, analytics, and innovative new ad units.
Sprout CEO and co-founder Carnet Williams added, “InMobi‘s commitment to an open and independent Sprout made them the clear choice for us. We will continue to work with all existing partners, including ad networks, globally.”
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner Ajit Nazre said, “The mobile industry is yet to fully capitalise on the engaging advertising experiences now possible through smart devices. This acquisition will help scale the use of rich media advertising globally – a critical next step in helping the industry realise its full potential.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
