Genie Ventures

What Genie Ventures does

Genie Ventures is a Cambridge-headquartered digital marketing, publishing, and e-commerce company operating three subsidiaries: Broadband Genie, the UK's longest-standing dedicated broadband comparison site serving consumers; Genie Goals, a performance marketing agency for ecommerce brands; and Genie Shopping, a certified Google CSS Premium Partner running managed CSS/PLA campaigns for retailers. The company is built around Clarence, a proprietary bidding technology created in 2011 that won the Google Shopping Innovation Award in 2017, which underpins Genie Shopping's managed CSS CPA model serving 1,000+ retail clients across more than 57 billion ad impressions annually.

Genie Ventures monetises through three distinct revenue streams: performance-based fees from managed CSS/PLA campaigns under a CPA model that aligns revenue with client outcomes (affiliate/referral economics), subscription-style SaaS access for self-managed CSS advertisers, and professional services/agency retainers through Genie Goals. Customers include major UK and international retailers such as Boots, eBay, Frasers, B&Q, Currys, Lookfantastic, Mamas & Papas, and Sky, alongside a long tail of smaller accounts. Distribution leverages founding Google CSS Partner status (June 2018), supplemented by partnerships with Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, and AWIN.

The company was founded in 2004 as a self-funded startup, settled in Cambridge in 2008 with three co-founders (Phil, Ciaron, Paul), and remains privately held with no external funding rounds disclosed. FY2024 revenue reached a record £23 million (up 30% year-on-year) with a team of 70, supported by dedicated CEOs appointed for each subsidiary between 2022 and 2023 and a female-led culture recognised through consecutive Great Place to Work certifications.

Name

Genie Ventures

Legal name

Genie Ventures Ltd

Website

https://genieventures.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Genie Ventures is a Cambridge-headquartered digital marketing group operating Broadband Genie (consumer broadband comparison), Genie Goals (performance marketing agency), and Genie Shopping (Google CSS Premium Partner serving 1,000+ retailers via managed CSS CPA campaigns built on proprietary bidding technology).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

akta.pro primary industry

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) / Paid Search (PPC) (BPAFACAA)

Keywords

• Performance marketing services
• Comparison shopping services
• Shopping ads management
• Broadband comparison platform
• Digital marketing agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Managed CSS CPA Services: Genie Shopping operates a managed CSS CPA model where success is directly aligned with clients' outcomes. Revenue is generated through performance-based fees tied to client sales/conversions.
2. SaaS Platform: Self-managed SaaS offering alongside the managed CPA model, providing technology platform for shopping ads management.
3. Performance Marketing Agency: Genie Goals provides performance marketing agency services to help retailers use strategies and technology to revolutionise their own digital marketing. Revenue from client retainer and project fees.
4. Comparison Site Advertising: Broadband Genie generates revenue as the UK's longest-standing dedicated broadband comparison site, monetising through affiliate commissions and advertising from broadband providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Genie Ventures is a digital marketing and ecommerce technology group that, through its subsidiaries Genie Shopping and Genie Goals, provides managed performance marketing and Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) solutions to retailers, using proprietary bidding technology called Clarence to run Google Shopping ads on a no-risk CPA basis. Its subsidiary Broadband Genie operates a consumer broadband comparison website monetised through affiliate commissions, while Genie Goals provides performance marketing agency services to ecommerce brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Broadband Genie: UK-based broadband comparison and connectivity advisory service trusted by consumers at every step of their journey.
• Genie Goals
• Genie Shopping

Products and services

• Broadband Genie UK's longest-standing dedicated broadband comparison site that helps consumers save time and money by simplifying broadband switching and providing trusted, neutral connectivity advice. Monetised through affiliate commissions and advertising from broadband providers.
• Genie Shopping (CSS/PLA Service) Managed Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) and PLA offering for enterprise retailers, providing campaign management for Google Shopping ads on a no-risk, performance-aligned CPA basis. Operates as a certified Google CSS Premium Partner and oversees campaigns for 1,000+ retail clients.
• Genie Goals (Performance Marketing Agency) B2B performance marketing agency serving ecommerce brands with senior, hands-on digital marketing strategy, paid media, and brand-building services. Operates on retainer and project engagements delivering big-picture expertise and senior-led execution.
• Clarence Bidding Technology Proprietary bidding technology engine used by Genie Shopping to manage and optimise Google Shopping ads and CSS PLAs at scale across 57+ billion ad impressions. Sold as a managed service via Genie Shopping and as a self-managed SaaS platform for shopping-ads management.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% year-on-year revenue growth to £23m in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• GooglecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2018Founding Google CSS Partner since June 2018; Certified Google CSS Premium Partner; Premier Google Partner; Operating through the CSS ecosystem and Google Shopping Ads programme to open up Shopping Ads for retailers
• MetamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMeta marketing partnership for advertising and campaign management
• AWINmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate marketing partnership through AWIN network
• PinterestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPinterest Partner for marketing integration
• TikTokminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTikTok Partner for marketing integration
• CAMFEDminorOthersGenie supports CAMFED, the pan-African movement revolutionising how girls' education is delivered
• Cambridge United WomenminorOthersGenie sponsors Cambridge United Women, promoting ambition, equality, and community impact
• Abbey PeopleminorOthersGenie is a partner to Abbey People, supporting the community through targeted action and improving access to education and employment

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kelkoo Group: Kelkoo is one of Europe's leading price-comparison and shopping services, and one of the very first Google CSS Partners at the European level. Direct overlap with Genie Shopping's CSS/PLA value proposition, comparison site heritage, and EU-wide retailer focus makes it the closest comparable in the CSS and price-comparison space.
• uSwitch (RVU): uSwitch is the UK's best-known broadband, energy and finance comparison site — operating under the same consumer-comparison/affiliate monetisation model as Broadband Genie. Direct head-to-head competitor for consumer broadband switching traffic in the UK.
• Moneysupermarket Group: Moneysupermarket Group operates Moneysupermarket.com and Broadband Choices — leading UK price-comparison sites across broadband, insurance and utilities. Comparable to Broadband Genie's consumer-comparison/affiliate publishing model at meaningfully larger scale.
• Croud: Croud is a UK-headquartered, award-winning digital performance marketing agency working across paid search, programmatic, SEO and analytics. Closely comparable in business model (performance agency, Google Premier Partner status) and awards positioning to Genie Goals.
• Reprise Digital: Reprise Digital is a global performance marketing agency (IPG Mediabrands) specialising in paid search, paid social, SEO and commerce media. Comparable to Genie Goals in service mix (especially paid search) and in targeting mid-market-to-enterprise ecommerce clients.
• Compare the Market: Compare the Market is one of the UK's largest price-comparison aggregators across insurance, broadband, energy and financial products, monetising primarily through affiliate commissions. Direct comparable to Broadband Genie's UK consumer-comparison and affiliate-revenue model.
• Connexity (now part of Skimlinks/Taboola): Connexity was a major Google CSS Partner and commerce-focused performance/pay-per-click network before its integration into Skimlinks/Taboola. Direct peer to Genie Shopping in the CSS/PLA and shopping-comparison space.
• Found. Found is a UK-based digital performance marketing agency specialising in paid search, paid social and programmatic for retail and ecommerce brands. Closely comparable in service offering, client vertical, and Google Partner positioning to both Genie Goals and Genie Shopping.

Broad incumbents

• iProspect: iProspect is a global digital performance marketing agency (Dentsu) and Google Premier Partner with significant SEM, paid social and programmatic capabilities. Overlaps directly with Genie Goals' paid media offering but at much larger scale and with a broader geographic footprint.
• Performics: Performics is the performance marketing arm of Publicis Groupe operating in paid search, programmatic, social and commerce media. Direct competitor to Genie Goals for enterprise performance retainers, but with a global delivery network and integrated agency model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/genieventures
• Xx.com/GenieVentures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/genie-ventures
• YouTubeyoutube.com/genieventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/genieventures
• Pinterestpinterest.com/genieventures
• TikToktiktok.com/@genieventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Genie Ventures