Axel Springer Acquires Bisnow
German media giant Axel Springer has acquired Bisnow, a major commercial real estate media and events company. The deal signals ongoing consolidation in the B2B media sector and deepens Axel Springer's footprint in global business news and events.
This acquisition follows a 2016 deal where private equity firm Wicks Group purchased Bisnow for an estimated $50 million. Founded in 2005 by Mark Bisnow, the company grew from a local Washington, D.C. newsletter into a major commercial real estate news and events platform. By 2013, Bisnow was generating $13.8 million in sales with a significant three-year growth rate. The company now operates in 47 local markets across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Ireland, hosting over 400 live events annually. The deal marks another major U.S. media investment for Axel Springer, which previously acquired Politico for over $1 billion and took a controlling stake in Business Insider in a deal valuing the company at $442 million. As part of the acquisition, Bisnow will join a newly formed Brew Media Group alongside another Axel Springer property, Morning Brew. Both companies will operate independently within this new structure, which is designed to accelerate growth in the U.S. market. This move aligns with Axel Springer's broader strategy of expanding its digital, English-language media holdings. The German conglomerate has been actively investing in U.S. digital journalism to diversify its portfolio beyond its traditional European print media like BILD and WELT.
