Austin Ventures has put Asset International up for sale, as reported by peHUB.
The financial data, technology, and media company was acquired in 2008, and alongside the sale of Advantage Business Media, it marks the start of what is expected to be several exits by private equity firms of their B2B media portfolio companies.
Over ten prominent B2B media organisations in the UK and US, including Emap (the business media division of Top Right Group), Incisive, Penton and Source Media, have been under private equity ownership for over five years, and the industry will see this deal as a benchmark for investor appetite in the sector.
Key to valuation will be the extent to which these media companies have been able to transform themselves from predominantly print-based, advertising-funded publishing companies to higher value data, events and marketing services based businesses.
