Networld Media Group

What Networld Media Group does

Networld Media Group was a Louisville, Kentucky-based, privately held business-to-business media company founded in 2000. It operated a portfolio of owned-and-operated digital publications spanning four primary verticals: restaurant and food service (FastCasual.com, PizzaMarketplace.com, QSRweb.com, FoodTruckOperator.com), retail and self-service technology (KioskMarketplace.com, DigitalSignageToday.com, RetailCustomerExperience.com), banking and financial services (ATMmarketplace.com, Connect Money), and vending/automation (VendingTimes.com). The company also produced a recurring slate of live industry events and summits — including the Fast Casual Executive Summit, the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, the Founderology Growth Summit, and the Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show (ARKI) — alongside branded podcasts (Fast Casual Nation, Pizza Marketplace Podcast, Automation & Self-Service Podcast, Bank Customer Experience Podcast, Digital Signage Today Podcast, Founderology Podcast, Restaurant Operator Podcast) that targeted professional decision-makers in those verticals.

The company monetized through two primary revenue streams: digital advertising across its publication portfolio and registration/sponsorship revenue from its live conferences and branded content programs. Its go-to-market was event-driven and content-led, leveraging live summits, editorial coverage, webinars and podcasts to connect technology and service providers with restaurant operators, retailers, banking/financial professionals and tech leaders. The audience is a national (U.S.) base of B2B professionals across the four verticals, with customer relationships largely executed through direct field sales for both media and event sponsorships.

Effective January 30, 2026, Networld Media Group was acquired by Connect Media, a Los Angeles-based privately held media company that is the largest U.S. provider of commercial real estate news. Networld's co-founder Tom Harper transitioned to an advisory role, and Daniel Ceniceros (Connect Media's founder) became CEO of the combined entity, which now employs more than 60 people. The combined platform encompasses Networld's publications and events alongside Connect CRE, ApartmentBuildings.com, Connect CRE Canada and Connect Creative — an integrated marketing/PR/design agency — positioning the combined company as a multi-vertical B2B media and event business serving automated banking, self-service, technology, commercial real estate, financial services and food/restaurant sectors.

Name

Networld Media Group

Legal name

Networld Media Group

Website

https://networldmediagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Networld Media Group was a Louisville-based B2B media company operating niche digital publications, live industry summits and podcasts serving restaurant, retail, banking and technology professionals across the U.S. (acquired by Connect Media in January 2026).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business-to-Business Trade Media

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513)

akta.pro primary industry

Stock Media, Asset Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (BPAMAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)

Keywords

• B2B media
• Trade publications
• Industry conferences
• Vertical media
• Digital content publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Media & Advertising: B2B digital media company generating revenue through digital publications, industry news portals, and associated advertising across restaurant, retail, banking, and technology sectors
2. Live Events & Conferences: Revenue generated from industry conferences and live events including summits and branded content experiences for professional audiences

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Networld Media Group was a B2B media company that produced original editorial content, live industry events, branded podcasts, and sponsored content experiences across the restaurant, retail, banking/self-service, and technology verticals. Following its January 2026 acquisition by Connect Media, the portfolio is delivered as part of a combined full-service business media platform providing news, insights, executive summits, and creative/agency services to professional decision-makers.

Product overview

Networld Media Group was a B2B media company operating as a portfolio of digital publications, live events, podcasts, and branded content across multiple industry verticals including restaurant, retail, banking, and technology sectors. Following its acquisition by Connect Media (effective January 30, 2026), the combined entity now encompasses a comprehensive suite of media products including digital publications (FastCasual.com, PizzaMarketplace.com, QSRweb.com, KioskMarketplace.com, DigitalSignageToday.com, RetailCustomerExperience.com, ATMmarketplace.com, VendingTimes.com, Connect CRE, Connect Money, FoodTruckOperator.com, ApartmentBuildings.com), live conference events (Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show, Fast Casual Executive Summit, Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, Founderology Growth Summit, Connect Conferences), podcasts (Fast Casual Nation, Pizza Marketplace Podcast, Automation & Self-Service Podcast, Bank Customer Experience Podcast, Digital Signage Today Podcast, Founderology Podcast, Restaurant Operator Podcast), and creative/marketing agency services (Connect Creative). The platform delivers news, insights, and industry events connecting brands with decision-makers across automated banking, self-service kiosk, commercial real estate, financial services, and food/restaurant sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FastCasual.com Owned-and-operated digital publication providing news, insights, and trend analysis for the fast casual restaurant sector.
• QSRweb.com Owned-and-operated digital publication delivering news and information to the quick service restaurant industry.
• PizzaMarketplace.com Owned-and-operated digital publication covering pizza restaurant industry news, trends, and operations.
• KioskMarketplace.com Owned-and-operated digital publication covering self-service kiosk industry, technology, and market trends.
• DigitalSignageToday.com Owned-and-operated digital publication focused on digital signage industry news and technology.
• RetailCustomerExperience.com Owned-and-operated digital publication covering retail customer experience strategies and technology.
• ATMmarketplace.com Owned-and-operated digital publication covering the automated teller machine and banking automation industry.
• VendingTimes.com Owned-and-operated digital publication covering the vending industry news and technology.
• Connect CRE Owned-and-operated commercial real estate news and analysis platform.
• Connect Money Owned-and-operated financial services publication covering capital markets and investment trends for advisors, broker dealers, wealth managers, and private debt providers.
• FoodTruckOperator.com Owned-and-operated digital publication for the food truck industry covering news and operations.
• ApartmentBuildings.com Owned-and-operated digital platform for apartment building and multifamily real estate news.
• #QSRNext Owned-and-operated digital platform covering quick service restaurant innovation and trends.
• Connect CRE Canada Owned-and-operated commercial real estate news platform focused on the Canadian market.
• Fast Casual Executive Summit Annual executive summit for fast casual restaurant operators featuring panels and discussions on franchising, technology integration, and growth strategies.
• Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show (ARKI) Industry event focused on automated retail, kiosk technology, self-service solutions, and innovation in retail automation.
• Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit Annual summit focused on restaurant franchising trends, innovation strategies, and franchise operations.
• Founderology Growth Summit Summit focused on startup growth strategies and founder leadership.
• Restaurant Marketing Workshop Workshop event focused on restaurant marketing strategies and tactics.
• Restaurant Catering Workshop Workshop event focused on restaurant catering operations and growth.
• Connect Conferences Multi-vertical event platform hosting industry conferences and summits across sectors including real estate, finance, and food/retail.
• Connect Creative Creative, communications, and marketing agency services supporting product launches, messaging, PR, digital campaigns, and go-to-market initiatives across media and conference channels.
• Fast Casual Nation Podcast Audio podcast focused on fast casual restaurant industry topics.
• Pizza Marketplace Podcast Audio podcast covering pizza restaurant industry news and trends.
• Automation & Self-Service Podcast Audio podcast covering automation and self-service technology trends.
• Bank Customer Experience Podcast Audio podcast focused on banking customer experience strategies.
• Digital Signage Today Podcast Audio podcast covering digital signage industry news and innovations.
• Founderology Podcast Audio podcast featuring conversations with startup founders on growth topics.
• Restaurant Operator Podcast Audio podcast for restaurant operators covering industry topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Combined entity employs more than 60 people across multiple business lines
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Connect MediaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026Connect Media, a Los Angeles-based privately held media company and nation's largest provider of commercial real estate news, acquired Networld Media Group effective January 30, 2026. The acquisition expands Connect Media's footprint into restaurant, retail, banking, and technology sectors while growing combined team to more than 60 employees. Networld's cofounder Tom Harper transitioned to advisory role while Connect Media founder Daniel Ceniceros serves as CEO of combined entity.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Informa Markets: Informa Markets is the B2B events and exhibitions arm of Informa plc, operating large-scale industry trade shows and conferences globally. It is a much larger incumbent in B2B events with overlapping verticals (foodservice, retail, hospitality, technology) and represents the competitive ceiling for trade media + events businesses.
• Emerald Holding: Emerald operates a large B2B media and events portfolio spanning design, technology, food, hospitality, and retail verticals. Its multi-vertical B2B media + events model makes it a direct scaled analogue to Networld's portfolio strategy.

Direct peers

• QSR Magazine: QSR Magazine is a long-established B2B trade publication serving the quick-service restaurant industry. It is a direct competitor in the same QSR vertical as Networld's QSRweb.com brand, with comparable editorial coverage and audience of restaurant operators.
• NetBanker / Banking Dive: Banking Dive is a B2B trade publication covering retail banking, fintech, and payments. It is directly comparable to Networld's ATMmarketplace.com and the Bank Customer Experience Podcast, and overlaps on the same banking-industry audience Networld targets.
• Skift: Skift is a B2B media company covering the travel, hospitality, and food sectors through editorial, research, and events (e.g., Skift Forum). Its mix of subscription/newsletter media and high-profile industry conferences closely matches Networld's content-plus-events approach.
• Bisnow: Bisnow is a B2B media company covering commercial real estate through newsletters, events, and podcasts, now owned by Cox Enterprises. It is the same model as Networld's Connect CRE brand — verticalized B2B news plus live industry events — and is directly comparable to the CRE side of the combined Connect Media + Networld entity.
• Retail TouchPoints: Retail TouchPoints is a B2B media brand covering retail strategy, customer experience, and technology. It competes directly with Networld's RetailCustomerExperience.com and DigitalSignageToday.com publications on the retail CX/technology beat.
• Industry Dive: Industry Dive is a B2B digital media company operating a portfolio of trade publications across multiple verticals (including Retail Dive and Banking Dive). It mirrors Networld's model of owning many vertical-specific digital publications monetized through advertising, newsletters, and events.
• Questex: Questex is a B2B media and events company running trade publications, conferences, and live events across multiple industry verticals. Its combination of owned publications, summits, and verticalized content is structurally very similar to Networld's multi-format model.
• Restaurant Business Media: Restaurant Business is a leading B2B trade media brand serving the restaurant industry through editorial coverage, events, and awards. It is a direct head-to-head competitor in Networld's core restaurant / fast casual vertical (FastCasual.com, QSRweb.com, PizzaMarketplace.com).

Market position

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/networldmediag
• Facebookfacebook.com/networldmediagroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/networld-media-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Networld Media Group