Sprout Social Acquires NewsWhip to Enhance Predictive Intelligence and Accelerate AI Roadmap

Sprout Social has acquired NewsWhip, a pioneer in AI-powered predictive media intelligence, to enhance its predictive intelligence capabilities and accelerate its AI roadmap. The acquisition will enable brands and publishers to proactively navigate the complex media and social landscape with real-time, AI-powered intelligence. NewsWhip's technology will be integrated with Sprout Social's suite of solutions, providing a comprehensive view of the media and social landscape, enabling users to detect critical signals and dive deeper into audience resonance. The acquisition will create a leading position in the rapidly growing predictive intelligence market.

Sprout Social (NASDAQ: SPT) has announced the acquisition of NewsWhip, a pioneer in AI-powered predictive media intelligence, for $55 million in cash plus up to $10 million in performance-based earnouts over two years. The acquisition, completed on July 29, 2025, aims to enhance Sprout Social's predictive intelligence capabilities and accelerate its AI roadmap [1].

NewsWhip's technology processes tens of millions of stories and over half a billion engagement signals daily, providing real-time insights into emerging trends and critical signals. By integrating NewsWhip's technology with Sprout Social's suite of solutions, brands and publishers will gain a comprehensive view of the media and social landscape, enabling them to detect critical signals and analyze audience resonance more effectively [1].

The acquisition is part of Sprout Social's strategic shift towards creating an "agentic, AI-powered platform" that connects media intelligence with social strategy. The combined solution will empower brands and publishers to navigate the digital media landscape with enhanced AI-powered insights, positioning Sprout Social to compete more effectively in the enterprise social media management space [1].

Paul Quigley, the co-founder and CEO of NewsWhip, will take on the role of General Manager for Sprout's Listening business, overseeing both NewsWhip and Sprout's Listening products. This leadership appointment underscores Sprout Social's commitment to building out its listening and intelligence capabilities as core offerings [1].

The acquisition was funded through Sprout's revolving credit facility and cash reserves. Financial details include $55 million in cash and up to $10 million in performance-based cash earnouts applicable over the next two years [1].

The integration of NewsWhip's technology will address a critical pain point for enterprises that face thousands of digital signals daily but struggle to identify which ones require attention. By detecting trending stories before they reach peak virality, brands can own the narrative and stay ahead of competitors in crisis management and opportunity identification [1].

Sprout Social's acquisition of NewsWhip represents a significant strategic move to strengthen its position in the growing predictive intelligence market. The deal will be discussed in more detail on Sprout Social's second-quarter earnings call on August 6, 2025 [1].

References:
[1] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/SPT/sprout-social-acquires-news-whip-enhancing-predictive-intelligence-46xeq988efrt.html