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Key people at InfoGroup.
InfoGroup, now known as Data Axle, provides data, technology, and marketing services, including business and consumer databases and real-time intelligence, from its base in Dallas, Texas. Originally compiling lists for mobile home manufacturers, the company expanded into data-driven solutions for customer acquisition and retention, serving clients from local businesses to Fortune 100. Under founder Vinod Gupta, it grew to over 5,000 employees and $750 million in annual revenue, operating previously as American Business Information (ABI) and InfoUSA. It was acquired by private equity firm CCMP for $460 million before being sold for $680 million in July 2010. As of 2013, it maintained data on 235 million individuals and 24 million businesses with 1,900 employees, with Michael Iaccarino later becoming CEO following its 2019 rebrand to Data Axle. InfoGroup was founded in 1972 by Vinod Gupta.
Key people at InfoGroup.
InfoGroup, now rebranded as Data Axle, is a data and marketing services provider specializing in business intelligence, consumer data, and targeted sales tools for salespeople, marketers, and professionals.[2][7] Originally focused on compiling lists for industries like mobile home manufacturers, it has evolved into a subscription-based platform offering real-time data access via APIs, CRM integrations, and SaaS solutions, including flagship products like Salesgenie (launched 2004), Data Axle USA, and Reference Solutions.[1][7] With a proprietary database covering 245 million individuals and 25 million businesses (now expanded to 15 million U.S./Canada business contacts), it serves enterprises, small businesses, nonprofits, and political organizations by enabling customer acquisition, retention, and enhanced user experiences through AI/ML models and professional services.[3][4][7] The company generates around $300 million in annual revenue and emphasizes high-quality, low-cost data with multi-channel marketing capabilities.[3][4]
Founded in 1972 as Business Research Services by Vinod Gupta, InfoGroup began by creating simple lists for mobile home manufacturers, later rebranding to American Business Lists and then American Business Information (ABI).[1][2][4] By 1986, ABI had digitized the entire Yellow Pages into its database, offering access via floppy disks, labels, and CD-ROMs; it went public on NASDAQ in 1992.[2] Key milestones include renaming to infoUSA in 1998, Infogroup in 2008 for global expansion, and the 2004 launch of Salesgenie as an annual CD-ROM subscription that pioneered desktop access to business/consumer data—evolving into turnkey acquisition/retention solutions over 18 years.[1][2] Pivotal shifts involved private equity: CCMP Capital acquired it for $460 million in 2010, reorganizing 20 business lines into 4 units to drive growth; Court Square Capital bought it in 2017.[2][3][4] In 2020, it rebranded to Data Axle to reflect its shift from lists to real-time, subscription-based data services amid diversification.[1][4][5]
Data Axle (InfoGroup) rides the data-as-a-service trend, capitalizing on demand for real-time business intelligence amid AI-driven personalization and marketing automation.[7] Timing aligns with post-2020 shifts to subscription models and remote validation, addressing fragmented data needs in a privacy-regulated era where quality trumps volume.[1][4] Market forces like digital transformation for SMBs/nonprofits and the decline of static lists favor its evolution, influencing the ecosystem by powering sales pipelines, CRM enhancements, and political targeting with compliant, scalable data—democratizing access historically via Yellow Pages digitization.[2][7] It shapes B2B marketing by enabling low-cost, high-accuracy targeting, indirectly boosting startup sales tech through integrated datasets.[3]
Data Axle is poised to deepen AI/ML integrations for predictive analytics and expand real-time APIs amid rising demand for first-party data in a cookieless world. Trends like hyper-personalized marketing and economic pressures on SMBs will amplify its subscription momentum, potentially growing beyond $300 million revenue via global datasets and agency services. Its influence may evolve from list provider to indispensable intelligence platform, solidifying its 50+ year legacy in data-driven growth.[1][4][7] This positions it as a quiet powerhouse enabling the next wave of targeted tech ecosystems.
