SPRING
SPRING is the Berlin-based technology and business arm driving digital advertising and AdTech product development for Axel Springer's national media brands across Germany and the US, including WELT, Business Insider, and The Telegraph.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SPRING does
SPRING is the driving business and technology arm for Axel Springer's national media brands, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Berlin. The company operates as the product development and AdTech unit within the broader Axel Springer SE ecosystem, building and operating technology platforms that power advertising, content distribution, and digital monetization across German and select US media brands. Its core proprietary technology is AdLib, an advanced AdTech management and optimization tool developed in-house by the National Media & Tech team under VP Global AdTech Carlos Bracho (appointed April 2024), which manages advertising systems and strategies across all German and certain US Axel Springer brands.
SPRING's business model is anchored in advertising revenue generated through its AdTech platforms deployed across owned media properties including WELT (including WELT TV), Business Insider, and (as of July 2024) The Telegraph. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales, with a global advertising team led by Chief Revenue Officer Maggie Milnamow who oversees sales, marketing, Insider Studios, and Revenue Operations for Business Insider and serves as SVP U.S. Group Sales for the broader Axel Springer portfolio. The company serves horizontal customer segments including news readers, journalists, technology professionals, and marketing/sales professionals, with advertisers as the primary paying customer base.
A significant strategic expansion occurred in 2024 with the acquisition of The Telegraph — a 170-year-old UK media brand — and the cross-Atlantic extension of AdLib to selected US brands. SPRING is positioned at the intersection of media and technology, leveraging Axel Springer's 80-year journalism heritage and the internal Axel Springer Academy of Journalism & Technology as a talent pipeline. Customer-facing distribution is through owned digital platforms, video (WELT TV), and publications, while employer brand and recruitment marketing is sustained through Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and industry events such as OMR Festival.
SPRING firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SPRING
- Legal name
- Axel Springer SE
- Website
- https://spring-media.de
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- SPRING is the Berlin-based technology and business arm driving digital advertising and AdTech product development for Axel Springer's national media brands across Germany and the US, including WELT, Business Insider, and The Telegraph.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SPRING industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Advertising Technology (AdTech)
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (54181), Media Buying Agencies (54183), Advertising Agencies (541810)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marketing Automation Operations for Demand Gen (Email/CRM Workflows) (BPAFAKAM), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD), International / Market Entry & Expansion Marketing Strategy (MPAAAFAL)
Keywords
Where SPRING is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SPRING business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising Revenue: Digital advertising revenue through AdTech platforms across portfolio brands including Business Insider, WELT, and The Telegraph. Managed through proprietary AdLib technology.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
SPRING product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SPRING is the business and technology arm driving Axel Springer's German national media brands. It develops and operates proprietary AdTech systems—most notably the AdLib management and optimization tool—that handle digital advertising across Axel Springer's German and select US media brands including WELT, Business Insider, and The Telegraph. The arm combines editorial media operations with in-house advertising technology infrastructure.
Product overview
Axel Springer operates as a media and technology company with a portfolio of market-leading brands across Europe and the United States. The core technology arm, Axel Springer National Media & Tech, develops products including AdLib, an advanced AdTech management and optimization tool. Key media brands include WELT TV (political journalism), Business Insider (business media), and The Telegraph (recently acquired UK publication). The company positions itself at the intersection of journalism and technology, developing both editorial content and advertising technology solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WELT TV: 24-hour video news channel
- Business Insider
- The Telegraph
Products and services
- AdLib
Companies that use SPRING
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SPRING technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
SPRING partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The TelegraphcoreThe Telegraph joined Axel Springer in 2025, marking a significant expansion of Axel Springer's UK media presence. This represents a major strategic acquisition adding a 170-year-old prestigious news brand to the portfolio.
- NFLminorAxel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner and COO Claudius Senst met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, indicating a marketing partnership or collaboration opportunity.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SPRING competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SPRING social profiles
Digital presenceSPRING financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SPRING leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
SPRING funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SPRING M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SPRING
What does SPRING do?
SPRING is the business and technology arm driving Axel Springer's German national media brands. It develops and operates proprietary AdTech systems—most notably the AdLib management and optimization tool—that handle digital advertising across Axel Springer's German and select US media brands including WELT, Business Insider, and The Telegraph. The arm combines editorial media operations with in-house advertising technology infrastructure.
Is SPRING a public or private company?
SPRING is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SPRING founded?
SPRING was founded in 2018. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is SPRING based?
SPRING is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does SPRING make money?
One revenue line is on record: advertising Revenue.
Does SPRING have an API?
No public API is recorded for SPRING.
What industry is SPRING in?
SPRING's product category is Digital Advertising Technology (AdTech). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAB, Creative & Brand Campaign Development, with a secondary code of BPAFAKAM, Marketing Automation Operations for Demand Gen (Email/CRM Workflows). Its NAICS code is 54181 and its SIC code is 7311.