EAB acquires UK-based AI marketer

EAB, a Washington, D.C.-based education research company with a significant presence in Henrico County, has acquired Hybrid, a U.K.-based digital marketing company focused on higher education, according to a Tuesday announcement.

EAB purchased Hybrid from London-based LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group.

A request for comment on the deal’s financial terms was not immediately returned.

“By joining forces with Hybrid, we can quickly and substantially expand how we help our partners engage students and alumni on their preferred digital platforms with standout creative and storytelling that break through the noise,” Chris Marett, EAB president of marketing and enrollment solutions, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Hybrid’s world-class teams in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America to serve our partners and enhance how they connect with prospective students from around the world.”

Hybrid offers AI-powered marketing solutions to build brand awareness and engage audiences across paid search, social media and generative search. The company also has advanced analytics platforms that allow colleges and universities to see what’s working and what doesn’t.

A November 2025 survey conducted by EAB found almost half of high school students use AI to research colleges.

“I’m excited to join forces and bring EAB’s deep enrollment solutions and research-driven approach to better serve our global partners and improve how we support all students in their journey to and through college,” Chris Cammann, CEO of Hybrid, said in the news release.

EAB grew out of Royall & Co., which was founded by the late Bill Royall in 1983 and offered student recruitment, enrollment, financial aid and alumni donation services. In 2014, the Advisory Board Co., a Washington D.C.-based provider of research and analysis, business intelligence and software tools and management and advisory services, announced plans to acquire Royall & Co. for $850 million. The company was folded into the Advisory Board Co.’s education division called EAB.

Today, EAB works with more than 2,800 institutions to drive results across enrollment, student success, institutional strategy, data analytics and advancement.