Get All Access for $5/mo

LinkedIn Buys Another Startup, One of Its Largest Acquisitions This latest deal rings in at $120 million in cash and stock.

By Jason Fell

Professional social networking site LinkedIn has gobbled up another startup. The company announced Thursday that it has agreed to acquire Bright, a San Francisco-based data-driven job search startup, for $120 million.

Parker Barrile, LinkedIn's vice president of product, says the team at Bright will help the company improve job search features such as LinkedIn's "Jobs You May Be Interested In" and LinkedIn Recruiter, and help ensure that job and prospect search results are as relevant as possible.

"[Bright's] incredibly talented team takes the same data-driven approach to connecting people and employers, and has built a powerful matching technology that will help accelerate our efforts on multiple fronts," Barrile said in a blog post announcing the deal.

Here is LinkedIn's take on the deal:

Bright was founded in 2011 by Eduardo Vivas, who also serves as the company's COO. Bright says that its machine-learning algorithm "examines thousands of data points to find the best fit between job seekers and job openings."

"We decided to join LinkedIn because of what we lacked -- the ability to apply this technology across the entire economy," Vivas wrote in a separate blog post. "We share LinkedIn's passion for connecting talent with opportunity at massive scale."

Bright had raised $20 million in two funding rounds from Toba Capital and Passport Capital.

Among LinkedIn's other startup acquisitions are Slideshare, which it bought in May 2012 for $119 million, and the Pulse newsreader last year for $90 million.

Related: 5 Tips for Maximizing LinkedIn for Your Business

Jason Fell

Entrepreneur Staff

VP, Native Content

Jason Fell is the VP of Native Content, managing the Entrepreneur Partner Studio, which creates dynamic and compelling content for our partners. He previously served as Entrepreneur.com's managing editor and as the technology editor prior to that.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.

Business News

Here's What the CPI Report Means for Your Wallet, According to JPMorgan and EY Experts

Most experts agree that there will be another rate cut next week.

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Productivity

6 Habits That Help Successful People Maximize Their Time

There aren't enough hours in the day, but these tips will make them feel slightly more productive.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.