Grapeshot builds a real-time keyword-targeting platform that lets advertisers target or exclude display ads on webpages based on page content within milliseconds. It primarily sells this technology to ad marketplaces (e.g., AppNexus, Turn, MediaMath, Trade Desk) while continuing to serve brands and publishers such as Johnson & Johnson, British Airways, MediaCom, and MailOnline. The system performs keyword analysis fast enough to decide targeting within about 1 millisecond and operates within programmatic auction time limits of roughly 50 milliseconds. Founded in 1992 by two Cambridge University researchers, the company shifted from selling directly to publishers to focusing on ad marketplaces in 2012, where it now does much of its business. Competitors noted in the article include Google (internal solutions), Proximic by comScore, and Peer39 by Sizmek; Grapeshot claims superior speed. Financially, the company raised $8.5M in its latest C round, bringing total funding to $14.25M. Grapeshot offers keyword-based contextual targeting and analytics that match advertising messages to relevant online content by analyzing URL content. Its technology is rooted in advanced Information Retrieval techniques developed and refined at Cambridge University. Grapeshot’s “Grapeshot Keywords” app is the most used app on the AppNexus RTB platform and is used by over 180 trading desks and agency organizations across Turn, MediaMath and AppNexus. The company processes over 2 billion bids an hour across 248 countries in 25 languages. Recent deployments in Japanese, Russian and Chinese highlight its global expansion efforts. Additional funding is intended to accelerate global growth and integrate its contextual technology into more platforms and exchanges. Grapeshot is a Cambridge, UK-based company whose technologies aim to increase click-through rates and revenues from online advertising. It operates an automated service that enables online advertisers and publishers to serve ads and content based on a user's behaviour and the context in which it is offered. The company received a £1.5m equity investment led by IQ Capital with participation from angel investors. Grapeshot plans to use the funds to support growth by extending its executive and sales teams and to expand internationally into the US. Tim Schoonmaker, previously CEO of EMAP Performance and CEO of ODEON Cinemas, participated in the round and joins Grapeshot's board as non-executive chairman.

Total raised

$14M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Feb 2016