Podean Announces Acquisition of Amerge
Podean solidifies global marketplace leadership with the acquisition of Amerge
New York, April 9, 2026
Podean, the largest independent global marketplace-focused growth partner and recipient of Amazon’s coveted Global Expansion Award, announced the acquisition of Amerge, a leading technology-enabled international retail media and marketplace agency. This strategic move – Podean’s third acquisition in just six months – establishes a new benchmark for global scale, combining Podean’s end-to-end capabilities from strategy through to execution with Amerge’s deep sophistication in DSP and streaming video. The combined entity drove more than $4 billion in client sales in 2025 and now manages over $500 million in retail media and marketplaces spend.
The acquisition significantly bolsters Podean’s capabilities in Europe and adds critical expertise for non-endemic brands through Amerge’s advanced streaming and analytics technology. By integrating Amerge’s proprietary tools with Podean’s Purvey.AI platform, the group creates an “unfair advantage” for its roster of 450+ global brands, including e.l.f. Cosmetics, Mattel, Adobe, and Danone. The merger further strengthens Podean’s vertical offering and strength in beauty, CPG, apparel, and toys, adding technology, electronics, and consumer goods.
“Amerge is our third acquisition in six months, but it won’t be our last,” said Travis Johnson, Global CEO of Podean. “Our strategy is driven by the services and geographies our clients need to drive growth. As an integrated leadership team, we fundamentally believe in the importance of independence and a clear focus on marketplace and retail media networks. This focus – evidenced through our people, tech, and partnerships – delivers market-leading results for our clients globally.”
A Powerhouse Growth Partner for Global Brands
Podean supports clients end-to-end from the original strategy and selling model decisioning to catalog analysis, creative development, content production, CX, advertising, external media, retail ops, data, and analytics. They also provide a leading social commerce solution in LiveCraft, which is focused on accelerating brands’ growth potential on live shopping platforms and has the highest level of TikTok Shop certifications.
The integrated offering spans more than 110 marketplaces and 50 retail media networks with deep experience on Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Target, Instacart, Lazada, B&Q, Bol, and Mercado Libre. This client-focused breadth of expertise drives accelerated growth and sales and creates a unique competitive advantage for Podean’s clients.
The effectiveness of the combined group is evidenced by having won or been a finalist for 11 Amazon Partner Awards and being featured in more than a dozen Amazon-published best-practice case studies.
Select Client Portfolio by Vertical:
- CPG & Household: Colgate-Palmolive, Danone, Burt’s Bees, AB Inbev, and WaterWipes.
- Health & Beauty: e.l.f. Cosmetics, Naturium, and ROC Skincare
- Fashion & Apparel: Steve Madden, Hugo Boss, Nike, Puma, and New Balance
- Electronics, Appliances, Tech & Entertainment: Sony Pictures, SharkNinja, Adobe, Epson, Skullcandy, Shure, and De’Longhi
- Toys & Family: Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Graco, and Lego
Technological Superiority: The Purvey.AI Integration
At the heart of the acquisition is the integration of Amerge’s proprietary technology, Amerge View and Amerge Engine, into Podean’s Purvey.AI platform, which has already undergone feature enhancements through the March Ad Advance acquisition and integration of their Streamline platform. This machine-learning-driven stack provides 24/7 automated optimizations, a breadth of customizable and unique targeting tactics, and real-time cross-platform reporting, coupled with deep AMC insight.
“We’re already differentiated by our analytics and technology,” said Ryan Craver, Podean co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer. “The integration of these platforms creates a proprietary technology suite that is second to none, giving our clients a unique competitive edge in a crowded marketplace.”
Leadership Perspectives
“The acquisition of Amerge reinforces our global dominance in marketplace marketing,” commented Mark Power, Podean Founder and Chief Engagement Officer. “I am thrilled to welcome John, Will, and Vitaly to our leadership team—they personify our culture of positive energy.”
John Doyle, co-founder of Amerge and new International CEO of Podean, added, “The combination of our global workforce and AI-driven technology reinforces the speed we bring to clients. Our footprint across all time zones ensures clients receive industry-leading output, wherever they are and whenever they need it.”
Will Fisher, co-founder of Amerge and Chief Commercial Officer, added, “Having a strategic and cultural fit with Podean was always integral. Our ex-Amazonian background and expertise, paired with their depth in retail media, global scale, and strategy, will be very powerful for our clients. We’re excited to get going.”
Vitaly Dmitriev, the third co-founder of Amerge and their Chief Technology Officer, said, “This is definitely a case of ‘better together’. We’re now a part of the largest, independent, global marketplaces-focused group. No one can provide more service, in more countries, on more marketplaces than Podean.”
The strategic acquisitions of Commerce Canal, Ad Advance, and Amerge by Podean were facilitated through Mountaingate Capital, Podean’s private equity partner.
More About the Entities
About Podean
Founded in 2019, Podean is the only truly global, independent marketplace-focused growth partner. The firm offers an extensive suite of services, including global strategy, analytics, media, social commerce via LiveCraft, and content solutions across Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, TikTok Shops, and Mercado Libre. Podean is a recipient of Amazon’s coveted “Global Expansion Award.”
About Amerge
Founded in 2020 by three ex-Amazonians, Amerge is a technology-enabled marketplace and retail media agency. With five Amazon Awards, it is the most decorated partner in the ecosystem, specializing in transforming complex data into measurable growth for international brands.
About Purvey.AI
Purvey.AI is a machine-learning-driven platform that transforms eCommerce businesses into data-driven powerhouses. By centralizing key metrics and providing AI-powered reporting, Purvey.AI reduces data-digging time and allows brands to focus on high-level strategic execution.
Ad Advance Joins Podean
Podean, the largest independent, global marketplace-focused agency, reinforces its leadership with the acquisition of Ad Advance
New York, February 18, 2026
Podean, the largest independent global marketplace-focused agency and recipient of Amazon’s coveted “Global Expansion Award”, has acquired Ad Advance, a leading retail media agency specializing in full-funnel strategy and performance across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging commerce channels. This acquisition reinforces Podean’s global leadership, adding substantial retail media and DSP sophistication as well as Ad Advance’s technology suite, Streamline. Through advanced analytics and proprietary technology, Ad Advance helps brands transform data into measurable growth. They are headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.
The combined business will have 260 staff based across 17 countries on 5 continents.
Together, Podean and Ad Advance work with over 330 brands globally, including household names such as Mattel, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Danone, De’Longhi, SharkNinja, Revolution Beauty, Colgate-Palmolive, Luxottica, Spectrum Brands, Shure, New Balance, OluKai, AB InBev, Skechers, Fruit of the Loom, HexClad Cookware, Intake Breathing, Kate Farms, and Authentic Brands Group brands, including Eddie Bauer, Nautica, Reebok, and Lucky Brand.
The integrated offering, spanning more than 100 marketplaces globally with deep experience on more than 40 Retail Media Networks, including Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Target, Instacart, eBay, Shopee, Noon, Lazada, Tesco, Macy’s, Shein, Temu, and Mercado Libre, will drive accelerated growth and sales and create an unfair advantage for their clients.
Mark Power, who founded Podean in 2019, commented, “The acquisition of Ad Advance accelerates our vision to be the leading independent agency servicing brands on marketplaces around the world and further strengthens our media operations and technology offering.”
Joe Shelerud, co-founder and CEO of Ad Advance, added, “Podean’s global platform, creative expertise, and social commerce capabilities complement Ad Advance’s strengths in retail media and technology. Together, we’re building a more complete global offering that helps brands expand internationally with greater speed and impact.”
Ryan Craver, a Podean co-founder and their Chief Strategy and Analytics Officer, added, “We’re excited to be adding Ad Advance’s Streamline technology to Purvey.AI, our machine‑learning‑driven offering. Combined with our global team, this technology platform will deliver a truly differentiated end-to-end marketplaces offering.”
Matt Wiklund, co-founder and CTO of Ad Advance, said, “We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Podean. Their larger footprint will be a significant addition to our client base. We’re also looking forward to being able to invest further in our joint technology and product offering.”
Travis Johnson, Podean’s CEO, concluded, “This is the next step in our creation of something unique and at scale in the market. Ad Advance is the perfect complement to Podean’s current global offering. We’re excited to join forces and leverage our combined capabilities as one team of marketplace and retail media network experts.”
Ad Advance’s two founders, Matt Wiklund and Joe Shelerud, will join Podean’s leadership team and take on product leadership.
The strategic purchase of Ad Advance by Podean from Permanent Equity was facilitated through Mountaingate Capital, Podean’s private equity partner.
More about Podean
A Global Amazon Powerhouse
Founded in 2019 by Mark Power and joined soon after by Travis Johnson, Podean was initially a pure-play Amazon agency. Since then, it has evolved into the only truly global, independent marketplaces-focused agency, offering an extensive suite of end-to-end marketplace services spanning global strategy, analytics, media, social commerce, and content solutions, across major platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, and Mercado Libre.
Podean is also a leader in social commerce through its LiveCraft division, which capitalizes on driving commerce through influencers. Given Podean’s leadership, they were one of TikTok’s earliest accredited agency partners.
In August 2025, in a simultaneous transaction, Mountaingate Capital acquired Podean and Commerce Canal. These businesses are now integrated and Ryan Craver, the founder, joined Travis and Mark as the leaders of Podean.
Podean’s global footprint is extensive, with operations across North America, Latin America, Australia, Asia, UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Its operational model is remote, now comprising more than 260 employees globally, supported by centers of excellence in the Philippines and Brazil that provide 24/7 assistance for design, media, and reporting functions. The firm holds industry-leading Amazon credentials, including Advanced Amazon Partner status globally. Podean was awarded the Global Expansion Partner Award by Amazon in 2023 and has been chosen to present at numerous Amazon events, including Cannes.
More about Ad Advance
Ad Advance is a retail media agency specializing in full-funnel strategy and performance across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging commerce channels. Through advanced analytics and proprietary technology, the agency helps brands transform data into measurable growth. Ad Advance is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.
More about Purvey.AI
Purvey.AI transforms eCommerce businesses into forward-thinking, data-driven powerhouses. Its capabilities empower clients to uncover hidden opportunities, identify and address problems, and outmaneuver competitors. The platform provides key metrics in one convenient interface, offering daily snapshots, real-time notifications, and AI-powered reporting and optimizations. Purvey.AI significantly reduces the time clients spend on data digging, allowing them to allocate more time to strategic planning and execution. Podean’s proprietary measurement and management technology will be integrated with Purvey.AI.
Press Contact
For more information, please contact Travis Johnson, Podean Founder and Chief Executive Officer, [email protected]