What VanillaPlus does

IoT Now is a privately held B2B digital media brand targeting enterprises that are adopting or deploying IoT technologies, along with the technology vendors and service providers that serve them. The platform operates from a UK-domiciled entity and distributes content globally through its website (iot-now.com), email newsletter, podcast, webinars hosted on the Livestorm platform, video content, and a free digital magazine. Editorial coverage spans multiple IoT verticals including Automotive, Industrial Automation, mHealth, Smart Cities, Smart Homes, Utilities, Transport & Logistics, Security, and Connectivity, with recent emphasis on emerging themes such as eSIM/SGP.32 orchestration, AIoT, and Cyber Resilience Act compliance.

The core product surface consists of news articles, expert opinion pieces, a resource library of white papers, reports, and case studies, a recurring podcast featuring industry guests, and live/on-demand webinars produced in collaboration with technology partners. Proprietary brand properties include the ON TREND private events series (hosted at exclusive venues such as Soho House London in partnership with Pelion and Transforma Insights, and now extended via a co-branded franchise with We Know Media), the annual IoT Global Awards program, and a portfolio of co-branded Insight Library microsites for partners including Swisscom, Bridge Alliance, Aeris, Orange Business, and Kore. The underlying technology is a standard digital content management and distribution stack with no disclosed proprietary AI, API, or SDK components.

The business model is content-led B2B media monetization. The reader side is freemium — newsletter subscription and digital magazine access are free — while revenue is generated almost entirely from the vendor side through three streams: display advertising and sponsored content on the website, webinar and event management (sponsorships and participation fees for ON TREND events and partner webinars), and premium content offerings including white-label Insight Library hubs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and the platform monetizes scale of audience reach rather than per-attendee fees. Named strategic partners include Thales, Aeris, Bridge Alliance, Swisscom, Orange Business, Kore, Pelion, Transforma Insights, We Know Media, emnify, Soracom, ST Micro Electronics, and Simetric.

Name

VanillaPlus

Legal name

IoT Now

Website

https://vanillaplus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IoT Now is a B2B digital media brand serving enterprises adopting IoT technologies, publishing news, insights, webinars, podcasts, and a digital magazine, monetized through advertising, sponsored content, and event partnerships with IoT technology vendors and service providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising & Sponsorships: The primary revenue stream includes display advertising on the website, sponsored content sections, and sponsorship of webinars and events. The platform features dedicated microsites and branded content opportunities for technology vendors and service providers in the IoT ecosystem.
2. Webinar & Event Management: IoT Now hosts and produces webinars featuring technology partners (e.g., Thales, Simetric) and manages the ON TREND events series, generating revenue through event sponsorships and participation fees.
3. Digital Magazine & Premium Content: Free digital magazine subscription model providing access to exclusive IoT industry analysis, expert opinions, and in-depth feature articles. Revenue is supplemented by premium content offerings and potential paid tier expansions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VanillaPlus operates a B2B digital media brand, branded as IoT Now, that publishes IoT-focused news, insights, expert opinions, white papers, case studies, and an exclusive digital magazine for enterprises adopting IoT technologies. The platform also produces live and on-demand webinars, a podcast series, partner-hosted Insight Libraries, the annual IoT Global Awards, and the ON TREND private events series, monetizing audience reach through advertising, sponsored content, and event sponsorships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IoT Now Digital Magazine

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ThalescoreTechnology or IntegrationThales partners with IoT Now for webinar content delivery, including the 'Master the IoT ecosystem at scale with a Single Pane of Glass' webinar featuring eSIM orchestration solutions. Thales provides technical expertise and thought leadership content for the IoT Now audience.
• SimetriccoreTechnology or IntegrationSimetric co-hosts webinars with IoT Now and Thales on eSIM orchestration topics. The partnership provides technical content on scalable IoT connectivity management.
• AeriscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAeris is a prominent partner with multiple touchpoints including the Aeris Bridge Alliance Hub, Aeris Automotive Insights Library, and Aeris IoT Watchtower product promotion. Aeris sponsors content and appears in podcast episodes discussing IoT operations. The Bridge Alliance member operators have launched Aeris IoT Watchtower to give enterprise customers a competitive edge.
• Bridge AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBridge Alliance and Aeris co-brand the IoT Watchtower solution promoted through IoT Now. Bridge Alliance member operators have launched this solution. The partnership involves the 'Bridge Alliance Insights Library' content hub on IoT Now.
• SwisscomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwisscom maintains an Insights Library content hub on IoT Now, providing curated IoT research and insights to the publication's audience.
• Orange BusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrange Business has a co-branded Insights Library on IoT Now platform, providing enterprise IoT insights and thought leadership content.
• KoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKore maintains a content hub on IoT Now, providing IoT connectivity insights and industry perspectives to the readership.
• PelioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPelion co-hosted the ON TREND private evening at Soho House London alongside IoT Now and Transforma Insights. This represents a high-value partnership for exclusive industry networking events.
• Transforma InsightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransforma Insights is a co-host for the ON TREND private evening events series and provides analyst insights featured in IoT Now content. Jim Morrish from Transforma Insights appeared on the IoT Now podcast discussing reactive IoT operations.
• We Know MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Know Media partners with IoT Now to launch the ON TREND EVENTS series, extending the event partnership model.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EE Times: EE Times is an established electronics and embedded/IoT engineering publication with news, analysis, webinars, and magazines. It serves a comparable audience of IoT engineers and decision-makers and competes for advertising from semiconductor and platform vendors.
• Fierce Electronics: Fierce Electronics is part of the Fierce Network group covering electronics, semiconductors, and IoT design with newsletters, webinars, and sponsored content. It overlaps IoT Now's enterprise IoT coverage and advertising base.
• The Fast Mode: The Fast Mode is a B2B media brand covering telecom, networking, and IoT with news, interviews, white papers, and webinars. Its content-led monetization and enterprise buyer focus parallel IoT Now's GTM motion.
• IoT Tech News: IoT Tech News is an online publication dedicated to enterprise IoT, covering platforms, connectivity, security, and vertical use cases. It competes for the same IoT-decision-maker audience and advertising dollars as IoT Now.
• Light Reading: Light Reading is a leading B2B media brand covering the telecom, IoT, and connectivity ecosystem with news, analysis, webinars, and events. It directly overlaps IoT Now's enterprise connectivity and IoT coverage and pursues the same advertising/sponsorship revenue model.
• Telecoms.com: Telecoms.com is a B2B media outlet covering the telecom industry, including enterprise IoT and connectivity. It monetizes via advertising, sponsored content, and events targeting operators and enterprise buyers, similar to IoT Now.
• Connected World: Connected World is a B2B media brand focused on IoT, M2M, and connected devices, publishing articles, case studies, and an awards program. Its vertical coverage and sponsorship model closely resemble IoT Now's positioning.
• Embedded Computing Design: Embedded Computing Design covers embedded systems, edge computing, and IoT design with articles, white papers, and webinars. It overlaps with IoT Now on industrial IoT, smart cities, and connected device content.
• RCR Wireless News: RCR Wireless News is a long-running B2B media brand focused on wireless, telecom, and IoT, offering news, opinion pieces, webinars, and events. Its audience of operators and enterprise buyers and its sponsored-content model closely mirror IoT Now's positioning.

Broad incumbents

• VentureBeat: VentureBeat is a large, broad-based technology media outlet covering enterprise software, AI, and IoT. While not IoT-specialized, it competes for overlapping enterprise technology advertising spend and audience attention with IoT Now.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vanilla-plus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 VanillaPlus