Column Announces Acquisition of Modulist, Expanding Platform of Local Transactions

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Column, the fastest-growing public notice software platform, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Forum Communications to acquire Modulist, a software company focused on community-driven user-generated content. This deal will expand Column's platform in 2024 to support transactions across all categories of paid content.

Since the company's launch in 2020, Column has deployed its software platform across a network of more than 500 local media partners to facilitate the transaction of public notices and legal ads with tens of thousands of law firms, government agencies, and businesses.

"This is a special and significant moment for Column," said Jake Seaton, Founder & CEO of Column. "This new partnership represents how much we've accomplished to get to this point and a strong indication of the growth we have ahead. This is going to be a big year for Column."

Column and Forum Communications finalized the agreement in late 2023. The companies have begun transitioning their internal operations by welcoming several Modulist employees to Column as part of the acquisition.

"The opportunity for Modulist to join forces with Column arose when the nationally recognized software company began collaborating with newspaper companies, focusing on enhancing the experience of placing public notices in both print and online formats," said Bill Marcel Jr., President of Forum Communications. "As we delved deeper into discussions with Column, it became evident that Modulist could seamlessly complement their offerings to newspapers, aligning perfectly with the categories in which Modulist excels."

Modulist customers can expect a seamless and uninterrupted transition in their service. Column plans to invest heavily in product and engineering to grow and improve on the foundations that Modulist has built.

"We want to be the best software that any of our users touch every day," said Leo Hentschker, Chief Technology Officer at Column. "The Modulist team shares this goal. Together, we have the opportunity to set a new standard for how communities and businesses communicate information that matters."

The acquisition of Modulist is a noteworthy milestone of growth for Column. Since the announcement of its $30 million Series A  in 2022, led by Lux Capital, Column has seen rapid expansion in its public notice business and is on track to become the largest processor of public notices in the United States by the end of 2024.

CONTACT: Kevin King, Head of Communications, Column, [email protected]

SOURCE Column