Sprout Social, a US-based provider of cloud-based social media management software, announced the acquisition of NewsWhip, a Dublin-based innovator in AI-powered, predictive media intelligence.
Consideration for the NewsWhip acquisition consisted of €48.1 million in cash and up to €8.7 million in performance-based cash earnouts applicable over the next two years. The acquisition, which closed on July 30, 2025, was funded with Sprout’s revolving credit facility and cash on its balance sheet.
“We founded NewsWhip to harness real-time intelligence to redefine how brands and publishers anticipate and act on media trends,” said Paul Quigley, CEO of NewsWhip. “Sprout Social’s market-leading platform, proven go-to-market strategy and commitment to innovation make them the ideal partner to build on this vision. Together, we’re poised to deliver incredible value to our customers and establish a leading position in the rapidly growing predictive intelligence market.”
NewsWhip was founded in 2011 with a focus on identifying the stories that the media and public care about most using social engagement data. Today, NewsWhip’s real-time monitoring and AI agents reportedly uncover tens of millions of stories and over half a billion engagement signals daily, empowering top brands and publishers to identify stories gaining momentum before they hit peak virality.
Based in Chicago, USA and founded in 2010, Sprout Social is an innovator in social media management and analytics software. Sprout’s platform puts social data into the hands of approximately 30,000 brands to help them deliver smarter, faster business impact. Sprout offers comprehensive publishing and engagement functionality, customer care, influencer marketing, advocacy, and AI-powered business intelligence.
“NewsWhip’s AI-driven insights give brands a predictive edge that’s critical in today’s fast-moving digital world,” said Ryan Barretto, CEO of Sprout Social. “Their technology unlocks real-time, actionable intelligence that allows businesses to stay ahead of trends and risks. This acquisition accelerates our vision of delivering an agentic, AI-powered platform that seamlessly connects media foresight with social strategy to drive transformative outcomes for our customers.”
This acquisition will expand Sprout Social’s footprint in the predictive intelligence market and is set to empower brands and publishers to navigate the digital media landscape with foresight and agility.
As part of the acquisition, the NewsWhip team will join Sprout Social, bringing their expertise and innovative spirit to enhance the two companies’ offerings. Paul Quigley, the Co-founder and CEO of NewsWhip, will step into the role of General Manager for Sprout’s Listening business, overseeing both NewsWhip and Sprout’s Listening products.
“We are excited to deepen Sprout’s Listening capabilities with NewsWhip’s industry-leading real-time insights and innovative AI agents, which we believe will accelerate our AI roadmap over the next several years,” added Joe Del Preto, CFO of Sprout Social. “NewsWhip has earned the trust of globally recognised brands for critical crisis management. We will discuss NewsWhip in more detail on our second-quarter earnings call on August 6, 2025.”
