Gizmodo, a well-known technology news and review site, has been acquired by Keleops, a Switzerland-based company. Keleops aims to expand its coverage of the digital scene by leveraging Gizmodo’s brand and reputation, which has been built over more than 20 years of tracking technology. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In 2016, Gizmodo was sold to Univision Communications for $135 million after its previous owner, Gawker Media, went bankrupt following a legal battle with former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. Univision later sold Gizmodo and The Onion to Boston investment firm Great Hill Partners in 2019 at a fraction of the 2016 sale price. Great Hill later sold The Onion to tech executive Jeff Lawson.
Keleops CEO Jean-Guillaume Kleis plans to implement a traditional business strategy by combining Keleops’ digital expertise with Gizmodo’s content and editorial expertise. Kleis believes that this combination will benefit audiences and partners alike. Gizmodo gained worldwide attention in 2010 after purchasing an early prototype of Apple’s iPhone 4, which Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs claimed was stolen. Jobs also accused Gizmodo of extortion, resulting in an apology from a Gizmodo editor. However, local prosecutors in Silicon Valley did not file charges in the incident.
This story has been updated to correct that Keleops is based in Switzerland, not Paris.
