Axel Springer Acquires Bisnow
German media conglomerate Axel Springer has acquired Bisnow, a leading media and events company focused on commercial real estate. The deal signals continued consolidation in the B2B media space, with major players buying up niche, high-engagement brands.
The acquisition provides an exit for the private equity firm Wicks Group, which bought a majority stake in Bisnow in 2016 for an estimated $50 million. At that time, Bisnow was operating in 30 cities, producing nearly 300 events a year, and had 650,000 newsletter subscribers. Founded in 2005 by Mark Bisnow, the company built its brand on a "snappy" and personality-focused approach to commercial real estate news. A significant portion of its revenue has historically been driven by its live events, which gather top real estate owners, developers, and financiers. By 2024, the company was hosting over 350 events annually across more than 50 local markets in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Ireland. The deal adds to Axel Springer's growing portfolio of U.S.-based media assets. The German conglomerate previously acquired Politico for a reported $1 billion and owns Insider (formerly Business Insider) and the business newsletter Morning Brew. This purchase continues Axel Springer's long-term strategy of investing in digital-first journalism brands with a strong English-language presence. The company's CEO, Mathias Döpfner, has aggressively expanded its digital reach, with these acquisitions making it one of the world's largest digital publishers.
