Branch (company)

Last updated

Branch
Founded2014
Headquarters
Mountain View
,
United States

Branch (formerly Branch Metrics) is a software company focused on deep linking and attribution. [1] Branch headquarters is located in Mountain View, California. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Branch Metrics was founded on April 15, 2014 by Alex Austin, Mike Molinet, Mada Seghete, and Dmitri Gaskin. [3] In the summer of 2014, the company completed the StartX Accelerator program at Stanford University. [4]

In September 2014, Branch announced the completion of a $3 million venture funding round led by New Enterprise Associates. [1] In 2015 Branch won a startup competition at Mobile World Congress. [4]

In February 2015, the company completed a $15 million Series A funding followed by additional $35 million funding in January 2016. [5] [6]

In April 2017, the company raised $60 million in Series C funding from Andy Rubin’s Playground Ventures. [7]

In September 2018, the company authorized the sale of $129 million in Series D shares, [8] and acquired the attribution analytics platform TUNE. [9]

In February 2022, Branch raised $300M in Series F funding at a $4B valuation, led by New Enterprise Associates. [10]

In 2022, the company acquired Android customization applications Nova Launcher and Sesame Search, [11] as well as data platform AdLibertas. [12] As part of the Nova Launcher acquisition, it was contracted that the app would be open-sourced if its founder Kevin Barry left the company. [13]

In 2023, CEO and co-founder Austin left the company. [14]

In August 2024, Branch made significant cuts to the 12-person Nova Launcher team, laying off everyone but Barry. [15] [16] On September 6, 2025, Barry made an announcement that he had left Branch, effectively shutting down development of Nova Launcher and its open-sourcing effort. [17] [16]

Technology

Branch has developed improved deep linking technology that directs users to a specific place within the app the first time a link is clicked, even if the app has not been installed. To do this, Branch Metrics is combining deep linking technology with matching technology. [1]

Branch also uses tools for cohort analysis and touchpoint tracking. [18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Perez, Sarah (September 23, 2014). "Branch Metrics Raises $3 Million From NEA For More Intelligent Deep Links That Make Apps Work Like The Web". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Branch Metrics helps Peet's Coffee migrate to mobile linking and measurement platforms". SiliconANGLE. June 17, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  3. ↑ Vrabie, Elena (March 29, 2022). "Madalina Seghete, co-founder of Branch, on raising €270M and moving mobile experiences into the privacy-centric era". TheRecursive.com. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Branch Metrics comes up with gold at Mobile World Congress startup showdown". VentureBeat. March 5, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ Chapman, Lizette (February 26, 2015). "Branch Metrics Raises $15 Million to Scale Deep-Linking Technology". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  6. ↑ Perez, Sarah (February 26, 2015). "Branch Metrics Raises $15 Million For Its Smarter Mobile Deep Linking Technology". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  7. ↑ Lawler, Ryan (April 10, 2017). "Deep-linking startup Branch raised $60 million from Andy Rubin's Playground Ventures". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  8. ↑ Clark, Kate (September 7, 2018). "Deep-linking startup Branch is raising more than $100M at a unicorn valuation". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Branch On Acquisition Of TUNE's Attribution Biz: "You Can't Have Measurement Without Fixing The User Experience"". AdExchanger. September 10, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  10. ↑ "CORRECTED-Marketing tech startup Branch valued at $4 billion after latest funding". Reuters. February 10, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  11. ↑ Nickolas Diaz (July 19, 2022). "Branch strikes twice with Nova Launcher and Sesame Search acquisition". Android Central. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Branch Just Bought A First-Party Data Platform For App Developers". AdExchanger. August 31, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ Peters, Jay (September 8, 2025). "Nova Launcher's founder and sole developer has left". The Verge . Vox Media. The company's CEO at the time, co-founder Alex Austin, said on Reddit that if Barry were to leave Branch, "it's contracted that the code will be open-sourced and put in the hands of the community."
  14. ↑ Peters, Jay (September 8, 2025). "Nova Launcher's founder and sole developer has left". The Verge . Vox Media.
  15. ↑ Kastrenakes, Jacob (August 9, 2024). "Nearly everyone working on Nova Launcher has been laid off". The Verge. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Pandey, Rajesh (September 5, 2025). "Android's most beloved launcher may be done for good". Android Police. Valnet.
  17. ↑ Sharma, Adamya (September 8, 2025). "Nova Launcher is shutting down, and Android fans are heartbroken". Android Authority. Authority Media.
  18. ↑ "Branch provides linking technology and measurement tools in the age of digital marketing". SiliconANGLE. June 3, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
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