Gallop
acquired by Big Viking GamesLondon, CA · Founded 2011 · 62 employees on LinkedIn · 2 known investors
Big Viking Games is a mobile and social game studio that develops and operates titles such as FishWorld and YoWorld, played on iOS, Android, Facebook, and the mobile web. Founded in 2011, it specializes in live operations and mobile HTML5 games.
Also known as Gallop · Gallop Labs
Investors · 2
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Gallop Labs was a Toronto-based data science and marketing automation company that built an audience intelligence platform for mobile publishers and brands. The platform used behavioral data to identify retention risks and engagement opportunities, helping clients grow user bases while optimizing marketing spend and reducing user acquisition costs. Its technology was described by the acquirer as a marketing analytics and data science platform covering audience insight, user acquisition and marketing efficiency.
The company was incubated inside the Toronto agency BNOTIONS before spinning out as an independent startup. Its co-founders included CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan, Alkarim Nasser and Farzana Nasser. Reported customers included The New York Times, AccuWeather, RBC Royal Bank, the Associated Press and Rithm, as well as Big Viking Games itself. In January 2016 Big Viking Games, a Canadian mobile and social game studio and both an investor (via CEO Albert Lai) and a customer, acquired the company; the majority of the technology team relocated to Big Viking's Toronto office and the Gallop product was subsequently wound down with a transition plan for existing customers.
Founding story
Gallop was founded in Toronto as a data science and marketing automation company and was incubated inside the agency BNOTIONS before spinning off on its own. Its founding team included CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan, Alkarim Nasser (who served as Head of Product) and Farzana Nasser. At the time of the 2016 acquisition Ramakrishnan referred to the platform and value developed over the prior two years.
Business model
Gallop licensed its audience intelligence and marketing automation platform to publishers, media companies and brands, which used behavioral data to improve retention, engagement and marketing efficiency.
Traction
Reported clients included The New York Times, AccuWeather, RBC Royal Bank, the Associated Press and Rithm. Team size at acquisition was reported at roughly six to ten technology-platform employees who transferred to the acquirer.
Latest developments
Big Viking Games announced the completed acquisition on January 27, 2016. The technology team moved to Big Viking's Toronto office, the Gallop product was discontinued with a customer transition plan, and CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan departed. In November 2016 Big Viking Games described the acquired Gallop Labs data science platform as a component of its HTML5 messenger instant games publishing offering.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
A small, award-recognized Canadian marketing analytics startup with a roster of large enterprise and media clients; it was recognized with the Facebook Mobile Innovation Award and named among Canada's Most Innovative Companies at CIX 2014.
Technology
The platform applied data science and algorithms to behavioral data to produce audience intelligence: identifying retention risks and engagement opportunities, and building audiences that optimize marketing spend and minimize user acquisition costs. The technology won the Facebook Mobile Innovation Award.
Go-to-market
Mobile game publishers, media organizations and consumer brands; named customers included The New York Times, AccuWeather, RBC Royal Bank, the Associated Press, Rithm and Big Viking Games.
Geography
Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; following the acquisition the team relocated to Big Viking Games' Toronto office.
History
Within roughly 16 months before the acquisition the company won a Facebook Mobile Innovation Award for its marketing analytics platform, was named one of Canada's Most Innovative Companies at the 2014 Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX), and raised seed funding reported at $2 million to $2.5 million. Co-founder Alkarim Nasser left his day-to-day Head of Product role in May 2015 while remaining on the board. In January 2016 the company was acquired by Big Viking Games; around six to ten technology-platform employees moved to Big Viking's Toronto office, CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan did not join, and the Gallop product was shut down. Later in 2016 Big Viking Games cited the acquired Gallop Labs data science platform as part of the support offered to developers through a $10 million HTML5 messenger publishing fund.
Risks & controversies
Reporting by BetaKit characterized the deal as the company being "sold for parts," describing internal team friction, a co-founder's 2015 departure amid questions about the CEO's leadership, difficulty raising a follow-on Series A round, and the CEO's exclusion from the acquiring company. Sources cited disagreements between co-founders; both named founders disputed that account. TechCrunch reported the Gallop product was being shut down after the acquisition.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsBig Viking Games finalized the acquisition of Gallop Labs, a data science and marketing automation startup. Team members from the technology platform side moved to Big Viking's Toronto office; CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan did not join and the deal was described by him as a technology platform acquisition.
Gallop's marketing analytics technology won the Facebook Mobile Innovation Award, as cited in the acquisition announcement.
TechCrunch reported that the Gallop product was being shut down, with Big Viking's CEO stating a transition plan for all Gallop customers had been in the works.
Co-founder and CEO Karthik Ramakrishnan did not join Big Viking Games after the acquisition closed.
Co-founder and Head of Product Alkarim Nasser departed his day-to-day role in May 2015 while remaining on Gallop's board; he later joined Facebook.
Gallop was named one of Canada's Most Innovative Companies at the 2014 Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX).
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Gallopbigvikinggames.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Gallop do?
- Gallop Labs was a Toronto data science and marketing automation startup acquired by Big Viking Games in January 2016.
- Who are Gallop's investors?
- Gallop's investors include Mantella Venture Partners.
- Who acquired Gallop?
- Gallop was acquired by Big Viking Games.
- Where is Gallop headquartered?
- Gallop is headquartered in London, CA.