Local search and user review service Yell.ru has acquired a controlling stake in Ukraino-Russian startup YouScan by buying the shares of the previous investors, while the founding team retained a minority stake. No further details of the transaction were disclosed.
Yell also announced that it will invest $1 million in the company’s further development.
YouScan defines itself as “a leader in the emerging market of social media monitoring, analytics and social CRM in Russia and Ukraine.” The company helps businesses monitor, analyze and compare consumer opinions posted in social media. Among its clients are major consumer brands as well as a number of local and international marketing agencies.
Founded in 2009 by Ukrainian entrepreneur Alexander Orap, YouScan has development team based in Kiev and its offices in Kiev and Moscow. It is a resident company of Skolkovo, the international tech hub under completion on the outskirts of Moscow. The startup also received financial support from The Open Fund, an Athens-based seed venture capital fund which usually invests in Greek startups.
Based in Moscow, Yell.ru is managed by Swedish entrepreneur Matias Eklof and backed by Swedish funds Vostok Nafta and AB Kinnevik. The service currently claims to attract 5 million unique users monthly.
