Leaked emails reveal Snapchat’s secret acquisitions

Snapchat reportedly made a number of secret acquisitions, including Vergence Labs, Scan.me and AddLive, according to leaked Sony emails that emerged from the hacker attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment. It is understood that emails between Snapchat, its board member Mitch Lasky and the CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment Michael Lynton related how much Snapchat paid for various start-ups.

Leaked emails from the Sony Pictures hack have uncovered several acquisitions made by Snapchat, as well as plans for a music feature and meetings to discuss partnerships with Twitter. According to emails between Snapchat, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton, and Snapchat board member Mitch Lasky, Snapchat bought a QR scanning and iBeacon startup called Scan.me for $14 million in cash, $3 million in restricted stock units, and $33 million in Class B common Snapchat stock. It also acquired Vergence Labs, makers of an eyeglass video camera, for $11 million in cash and $4 million in stock. Snapchat also apparently paid $10 million in cash and $20 million in stock and bonuses for AddLive, the startup Snapchat bought to power its real-time video chat feature but didn’t have the price for.