Tech Update - Zomato & Urbanspoon Merger

Zomato, a fast-growing restaurant directory that operates in more than 130 cities in 20 countries across the globe, has agreed to purchase Seattle-based Urbanspoon in a deal that will help cement the company’s much-anticipated expansion in the U.S.

Urbanspoon began in 2006 and has enjoyed much success in part through an innovative iPhone app that allowed users to shake the device in order to find nearby restaurants. The company sold off its online restaurant reservation service to OpenTable in 2013, focusing efforts on its restaurant directory. OpenTable claims 30 million users a month and the iPhone app remains one of the most popular restaurant directories, with over 230,000 reviews and a positive rating of 4.5 stars.