Tower Partners launches Digital Marketing and Technology Platform Practice. New Practice Builds on Strong 2025 Deal Momentum Columbia, MD (February 17, 2026) - Tower Partners, a leading private investment bank and advisory firm serving the middle market, today announced the launch of its Digital Marketing and Technology Platform Practice. The new practice is designed to service digital agencies and tech-enabled platforms operating across performance marketing, data-driven media, commerce enablement and creator-led ecosystems. The group will focus on the broader digital agency consolidation, platform-oriented business models, and emerging marketing technologies, including participation in rapidly evolving channels such as TikTok, filling a critical void in the investment banking landscape where no other competitors currently offer this level of specialized expertise. "Tower Partners is uniquely positioned to lead the rapidly growing industry," says Ervin Terwilliger, Founder and CEO of Tower Partners. "We are seeing sustained deal volume, larger and more sophisticated platform builds, and a clear shift toward tech-enabled, performance-based models. Formalizing this practice reflects how the digital marketing industry is evolving and where capital is increasingly being deployed." Terwilliger continued, "While platforms like TikTok are an important part of today's digital landscape, the broader opportunity lies in scalable infrastructure, proprietary technology, data-driven execution, and diversified revenue streams that support long-term growth across multiple channels." The launch of the Digital Marketing and Technology Platform Practice follows significant deal activity in the digital marketing sector throughout 2025, including multiple transactions for which Tower Partners served as the sell-side advisor: * CJ Advertising, a full-service marketing agency focused on personal injury law firms, was acquired by Herringbone Digital in August 2025, further strengthening the platform's legal marketing capabilities and performance-driven advertising expertise. * Moontide Agency, a fully integrated digital marketing agency, was acquired by Mindgruv, a media, commerce, and data technology company backed by The Golden State Company, in November 2025, enhancing Mindgruv's end-to-end marketing and technology offering. * BluShark Digital, a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO for the legal industry, was acquired by Herringbone Digital in November 2025, reinforcing the platform's leadership in legal SEO and tech-enabled marketing services. "This practice formalizes the work we're already doing and further positions us to lead in what we believe will be one of the most active deal sectors in the coming years," says Lea Francesco, Associate in the Digital Marketing and Technology Platform Practice at Tower Partners. "We are seeing strong investor demand for scalable platforms that combine services, software, data, and performance-based economics." The new Digital Marketing and Technology Platform Practice will focus on M&A, capital raises, and strategic alternatives across performance marketing, SEO, paid media, creator-led commerce, and TikTok-enabled businesses. Tower Partners is currently engaged in a robust pipeline of advisory opportunities across the digital marketing and technology platform landscape, spanning performance agencies, demand generation networks, creator-commerce platforms, and tech-enabled marketing services providers. These opportunities reflect strong inbound interest from founders and management teams seeking strategic capital, platform partnerships, and full or partial liquidity solutions. The firm expects several of these mandates to progress to closed transactions in 2026, underscoring continued momentum and investor demand across the sector. Most recently, Tower Partners was recognized as the top firm among more than 800 advisory firms on Axial's 2025 Top 25 Lower Middle Market Investment Banks list, the most respected ranking of dealmakers in the lower-middle market. About Tower Partners Founded in 2008, Tower Partners is a premier national investment bank servicing the lower middle market. The team at Tower Partners has completed engagements with more than $30 billion in transaction value. Tower Partners specialize in providing Wall Street level investment banking to Main Street, with a focus on family, founder, and entrepreneurial-led businesses. Tower Partners has established itself as the go-to advisor for middle-market clients seeking high-quality execution and strategic advisory. The firm is headquartered in Columbia, MD with offices in New York, NY, and Greenwich, Connecticut, and partners in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma.

Mindgruve, a US-based media and commerce technology company, has acquired Ameo, a Hamburg-based commerce agency specialising in Amazon advertising and analytics. The deal expands Mindgruve's European presence and helps American brands scale retail media performance in Germany, Europe's largest Amazon market. Founded over a decade ago, Ameo serves enterprise brands across Germany and the UK with advanced retail media capabilities. The agency's expertise in Amazon Marketing Cloud and analytics will strengthen Mindgruve's Sightline platform, enhancing predictive marketing and business intelligence for enterprise clients. Ameo founder will serve as Mindgruve's SVP Commerce, Europe. The acquisition follows Mindgruve's recent growth in the US and Latin America, reflecting continued investment in retail media and commerce offerings. Makanta advised Ameo on the transaction.

Mindgruve appoints Spencer Lian-Thornton as VP of Growth and Partnerships. SAN DIEGO, Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Mindgruve, a modern media, commerce, and data technology company, today announced the appointment of Spencer Lian-Thornton as Vice President of Growth and Partnerships, effective January 2, 2026. Lian-Thornton will play a key role in accelerating Mindgruve's growth, deepening enterprise partnerships, and advancing the agency's leadership in retail media and commerce-driven marketing. Lian-Thornton joins Mindgruve after 12 years at Amazon, where he helped build and scale strategies for some of the world's most recognizable brands - including Wrangler, Hanes, New Balance, and The Children's Place - across retail, advertising, and supply chain ecosystems. His experience spans enterprise apparel, footwear, and consumer brands, with a focus on helping brands succeed not only on Amazon but across the broader connected commerce landscape. "Retail media is transforming how brands grow, and Spencer brings a rare combination of platform expertise, strategic vision, and brand stewardship," said Chad Robley, CEO of Mindgruve. "Having spent more than a decade at Amazon during the rise of retail media, Spencer has been at the forefront of this evolution. He deeply understands how marketing, media, and commerce intersect - and how to help brands win in today's retail ecosystem." Lian-Thornton's career reflects the evolution of modern marketing. After starting in supply chain roles, he was drawn to advertising after seeing how marketing performance directly impacts brand growth across retail environments. His work consistently focused on lasting brand outcomes and building trusted, durable partnerships across commerce. "I've always believed the best marketing feels like advice from a trusted friend, and to deliver, you need a trusted agency," said Lian-Thornton. "For nearly a decade, I had Mindgruve on my radar and recommended the agency to clients because they were early leaders in retail media, delivered real results, and built trusted partnerships - not transactional engagements. That philosophy has only become more important as retail media evolves." In his new role, Lian-Thornton will focus on deepening relationships with executive leadership at major retail media networks and technology partners, expanding Mindgruve's enterprise client roster, and strengthening client loyalty and retention. Lian-Thornton will represent Mindgruve at CES and NRF this January, as well as at leading commerce conferences throughout the year. To schedule a meeting with Lian-Thornton, get in touch. About Mindgruve Mindgruve is a modern media, commerce, and data technology company comprised of strategists, creatives, media and commerce experts, data scientists, and engineers driven by one common purpose - accelerate business growth for our brand partners through data-driven marketing. With over 400 experts worldwide, Mindgruve's teams deliver integrated media and commerce solutions for global brands. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mindgruve-appoints-spencer-lian-thornton-as-vp-of-growth-and-partnerships-302651933.html SOURCE Mindgruve NOTE: This content is not written by or endorsed by "WOWK", its advertisers, or Nexstar Media Inc.