Aonic, a Stockholm-based tech and gaming group, has acquired Prime Insights, a two-year-old research tech startup for $250 million. The deal marks Aonic’s largest acquisition to date and signals the creation of a unified global rewards and data platform with unrivalled reach.
With Prime Insights now part of its portfolio, Aonic commands access to more than 50 million consumers across the globe, supported by 12 owned and operated brands and generating over $300 million in annual revenues. The transaction represents far more than a simple expansion; it unites two rapidly growing leaders to redefine how data, rewards, and consumer engagement operate on a global scale.
A founder’s vision
At the heart of Prime Insights’ rapid rise is its founder, Benjamin Ritzka. A serial entrepreneur, Ritzka established the company in 2022 and quickly scaled it into a 120-strong team spread across 17 countries. Under his leadership, Prime Insights gained recognition for marrying technology-first solutions with seamless user experience, a formula that attracted high-profile and recurring B2B clients.
Ritzka will continue as CEO of Prime Insights, ensuring continuity of vision and strategy. More notably, he has reinvested a significant portion of the transaction proceeds into shares of Aonic, becoming one of the group’s largest shareholders. This commitment underscores a shared belief in the long-term potential of creating a unified global rewards platform that straddles both user acquisition and consumer insights.
Building on a strong foundation
Aonic has been steadily scaling its presence in the gaming ecosystem. Through its flagship platform Exmox and the recent addition of Mega Fortuna, the company has developed one of the largest gaming-focused discovery and loyalty networks in the world. These platforms already provide mobile game developers with sophisticated tools for user acquisition, testing, and retention, an area where high-quality data and precise targeting are critical.
Prime Insights, on the other hand, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing players in the $142 billion global research technology sector. Its strength lies in programmatic sampling, supported by a vast network of proprietary consumer panels. Millions of users across its mobile and web platforms earn real money by completing surveys, creating a seamless flow of quality data for market researchers.
Why does the union matter?
Both Aonic and Prime Insights have been charting impressive growth, each recording more than 80% organic expansion annually over the past two years. The strategic alignment between the two is clear: Aonic brings deep gaming expertise and platforms that thrive on user engagement, while Prime Insights contributes a scalable infrastructure for consumer research and reward-driven participation.
Together, they double the scale of their platforms, offering an enhanced value proposition to two distinct but complementary client bases – mobile game developers seeking engaged users, and market researchers demanding reliable insights. By combining strengths, the new entity positions itself as a global hub for rewards-driven data, engagement, and growth.
Looking ahead
The acquisition reflects broader trends in digital engagement and consumer research. As companies worldwide seek to understand and reach audiences more effectively, platforms that integrate loyalty, rewards, and data insights are becoming essential. Aonic’s expanded portfolio places it at the center of this evolution, offering unparalleled reach and technological depth.
For the gaming industry, this means more efficient ways to acquire and retain players. For the research community, it promises greater access to diverse, high-quality panels. And for consumers, it enhances opportunities to earn rewards while engaging with platforms they value.
“Prime Insights has rewritten the rules in programmatic data collection for consumer insights as a true disruptor in the highly competitive world of research technology,” said Aonic CEO and co-founder Paul Schempp. “It is rare to come across such a brilliant tech entrepreneur as Benjamin, and as powerful team as Prime Insights, so we couldn’t be happier to partner up. This transaction marks a major step in our vision of becoming a dominant global player. Bringing together scale, data, and technology will be the key to sharpening our competitive edge. We welcome Benjamin and his team with the highest regard – they deserve every accolade.”
“The growth path we achieved with Prime Insights over recent years is unprecedented in our industry,” said Benjamin Ritzka, CEO and Founder of Prime Insights. “A transaction of this scale is an amazing validation of everything we’ve built. A huge thanks to my fantastic team at Prime Insights.
Exmox CEO Caglar Eger added, “There are huge synergies between our work at Exmox in rewarded user acquisition for gaming clients and the rewarded survey platforms offered by Prime Insights. Prime Insights’ edge in data collection and analysis will allow us to turbo-charge engagement for gaming clients, while our scale and focus on user engagement will significantly improve data quality and reach for the consumer insights industry. We’re extremely excited to begin the work together!”
