Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
Control Group and Titan, key members of the team behind LinkNYC, announced Tuesday that they will merge and be acquired by a consortium of investors led by (recently announced) Sidewalk Labs.
We are told that this new company, named Intersection, will combine both companies’ expertise in technology and innovation at the convergence of the digital and physical worlds.
LinkNYC, their groundbreaking project in New York City with partners Qualcomm and Comark, will create up to 10,000 communications hubs that provide city residents and visitors with free public gigabit Wi-Fi, access to communications, information and municipal services across the city. Intersection will aim to extend the thinking and approach behind LinkNYC into an array of solutions to help make cities around the world more livable and connected.
Sidewalk CEO Dan Doctoroff will serve as the Chairman of Intersection. Doctoroff was quoted as saying “By bringing these two industry leaders together, Intersection will help make cities connected places where you can walk down any street and access free ultra high-speed Wi-Fi, find transit and wayfinding information, access information about city services — the possibilities are endless. Titan brings deep understanding partnering with governments and transit authorities, while Control Group has unparalleled expertise in creating digital products and experiences for the physical world. With LinkNYC, Control Group and Titan have shown that by integrating new technologies into existing infrastructure cities can reinvent these assets – providing not just more modern, free services to citizens but even more revenue to cities. As Sidewalk Labs works to scale technology solutions for cities around the world, this is just the first of many urban challenges we will be tackling.”
Control Group is known for its public interfaces in mass transit, airports, cultural institutions and retail. Titan of course has a significant out-of-home advertising business that generates revenue for cities and municipal authorities, and has operated the New York City public phone booths now being converted under LinkNYC. Don Allman, CEO of Titan, told us “Intersection will allow us to play a pivotal role in helping cities and municipal authorities deliver improved city services and a better customer experience.”
The companies will combine New York City offices to encourage a collaborative environment. Senior management teams from both Titan and Control Group will remain at Intersection. Control Group and Titan will continue to provide their world-class roster of clients with excellent service – across digital strategy, technology, design and out-of-home advertising. Intersection will also provide current and future clients with new urban experience and information products and services that build on the strengths of both companies to create value for citizens, brands and governments and to improve life in cities around the world.
Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Dave Etherington, Chief Strategy Officer of Intersection, will present ‘How OOH is Transforming Cities Around the World at The DailyDOOH Investor Conference on Wednesday Nov 4, 2015 (as part of New York Digital Signage Week).
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