The acquisition expands Stagwell's media capabilities with Freestar's programmatic advertising expertise
NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 26, 2026 / Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW), the global challenger network transforming marketing through AI, today announced the acquisition of Freestar, a leading services and monetization partner to many of the world's most trusted digital media brands. Freestar will further strengthen Stagwell's Owned Media offering as the larger Media and Commerce segment continues to expand its media capabilities and offerings for clients, while Freestar customers will have more direct access to advertisers and tools, providing better outcomes for both the buy and sell side of the market.
Founded in 2015 by David Freedman, Freestar partners with the world's top digital brands, from news to gaming to utilities, including Boston Globe Media, Fortune Media, Legacy, and Enthusiast Gaming. Powered by pubOS, its proprietary Publisher Operating System, Freestar combines enterprise-grade technology, an integrated marketplace of partner offerings, and high-touch customer service to help publishers unlock new revenue opportunities, strengthen their performance with tailored monetization strategies, and navigate the rapidly evolving digital media and AI landscape.
"Publishers are essential to a healthy media ecosystem, and we believe their long-term success is critical to the future of our industry," said Ben Berentson, CEO, Owned Media, Stagwell. "Freestar has built an exceptional global business helping publishers increase revenue and improve operational efficiency in a complex programmatic landscape. Together, we'll continue investing in that mission while bringing new capabilities to support their growth and their clients' success."
As part of Stagwell, Freestar will integrate with the Stagwell Media and Commerce ecosystem, expanding its high-value Owned Media portfolio, enhancing audience intelligence and developing a more streamlined supply path. Through agentic decisioning, powered by the Stagwell AI Media Machine, we will deliver quality inventory to right audiences, while at the same time ensuring most efficient path to activation. The partnership also bolsters Stagwell's Future of News initiative to support a thriving news industry by bringing together a coalition of publishers, marketers, journalists, and brand leaders to drive impactful change.
"Freestar has always been focused on helping publishers unlock more value from their businesses," said Kurt Donnell, CEO of Freestar. "The best outcomes happen when advertisers know exactly what they're buying, and publishers are rewarded for the quality they deliver. Stagwell understands that. Joining them lets us offer publishers new capabilities, while staying true to the publisher-first approach that has always been our north star."
Needham & Company served as the exclusive financial advisor to Freestar in connection with the transaction.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the global challenger network transforming marketing through AI. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
About Freestar
Freestar is a leading publisher services and monetization partner to many of the world's most trusted digital media brands. Through pubOS - the Publisher Operating System - Freestar combines enterprise-grade technology, an integrated partner marketplace, and white-glove service to help digital publishers maximize revenue and navigate the AI Age.
Over the past decade, Freestar has driven over $1 billion in revenue for publishers. It manages more premium Jounce Media Bellwether publishers than any other publisher services partner. Headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, it has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States on the annual Inc. 5000 list for seven consecutive years, most notably earning the number one spot in 2019. Additional honors include AdWeek's AI Tool of the Year and the Titan Business Awards Customer Service Team of the Year. Learn more at www.freestar.com.
Contact
PR@stagwellglobal.com
SOURCE: Stagwell
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/stagwell-stgw-acquires-freestar-leading-publisher-advertising-se-1241589
