MessageBird Raises $800 Million, Buys U.S. Startup SparkPost

MessageBird has agreed to buy U.S. email marketing firm SparkPost for $600 million, marking its fourth deal since October.

The Dutch software company raised $800 million from investors to fund the all-cash deal, which will intensify Messagebird’s focus on North America and its competition with U.S. rival Twilio Inc.

“We currently have maybe 20 folks in the U.S., but at the close of this transaction we’ll have about 300,” MessageBird Chief Executive Officer Robert Vis said in an interview. “So if there was ever a move we’re making into the U.S., it’s this one.”

SparkPost sells software that companies ...