Hyve Buys Manifest, Third Big Acquisition in Under 1 Year: Exclusive
Hyve’s lengthy flirtation with Manifest has finally been consummated, with the show organizer agreeing to buy the supply chain and logistics trade event, AMO has learned exclusively. Terms were not disclosed.
It’s Hyve’s third acquisition in less than 10 months as it builds up its portfolio of entrepreneur-built events focused on large-scale ecosystems in key industry sectors that are being disrupted through technology. In October, Hyve bought HLTH, built by Jonathan Weiner of Money 20/20 fame in 2017. In July, Hyve bought Possible, built in 2021 by Christian Muche, who previously founded DMEXCO – Digital Marketing Expo & Conference.
And it’s not the last we’ll see of Hyve in M&A.
“We would be looking to continue to buy in the similar, same vein, as we’re doing today, but in newer markets, and we would be expanding our existing ones, that’s where I see Hyve,” Hyve Chief Executive Officer Mark Shashoua told AMO. “We still have a very selective and targeted pipeline of largely singular events that we’re looking at.”
Hyve joins other private equity-backed organizers including Easyfairs and Nineteen Group in looking to make acquisitions after a long lull in the market initiated by Covid-19 and extended by elevated interest rates and high seller expectations. There’s a clear focus among them for U.S. assets even if there is a trade war and a whole lot of news from the Donald Trump administration creating uncertainty of all kinds.
Shoptalk Synergies
Hyve had been flirting with Manifest for a while—pre-dating this year’s tumult—and Shashoua said there was no shortage of suitors for the business, which he said is the biggest of its kind and attracts a key audience of C-suite executives. It was also, apparently, a foregone conclusion.
“Hyve is absolutely the right home for Manifest. They are experts in optimising B2B events to drive unbeatable value for customers, and we’re excited to benefit from that experience and model. I care deeply about this customer community and continuing to deliver value for them. For this reason, it was only ever Hyve,” Manifest founder Jay Weintraub said in a press release.
Manifest, which attracts over 7,200 attendees with more than 60 countries represented, brings together critical players like retailers, shippers and logistics service providers, helping them improve margins and speed to market through technology. It’s an already complex sector that is now going through additional upheaval. The supply chain industry itself is massive, with statistics showing it is expected to grow from $31 billion to $71 billion in the next five years.
“It’s specifically for the supply chain tech industry—it is the disruptive element of it,” Shashoua said.
The synergy with Hyve’s Shoptalk events are evident in that both often have the same customers on the retail side.
Weintraub will continue leading the company—that’s part of Hyve’s strategy, buying young events built by entrepreneurs in order to develop and grow them to scale. Manifest itself was first held in 2022. It’s currently a single event held in Las Vegas, and Hyve plans to expand by launching a European edition.
Regarding economic uncertainty that could drive down revenue, Shashoua said they are well-positioned to benefit from being the largest event of their kind.
“I’m making up a number, okay, but if you have a budget of half a million dollars for the whole year, normally then, and that reduces to, let’s say, $400,000 you reduce the smaller, less relevant events, and you put more money towards the event that actually gives you the right ROI,” Shashoua said. “It’s very rare that you see the main event not effectively mopping up the market.”
Hyve was originally founded by Shashoua’s father in 1991 and it went public before being bought by Providence Equity and Searchlight Capital in 2023. Shashoua joined in 2017 when it was still active in emerging markets and holding hundreds of shows. That’s down to 25 now, including Manifest, and it has pulled out of most emerging markets.
