Brainient is an online video advertising startup focused on improving video ad performance through its platform. The company provides technology aimed at optimizing video advertising inventory and performance for publishers and advertisers. It raised $1.8 million to scale that platform and accelerate growth. The fundraise is positioned to help Brainient capitalize on the rapid expansion of online video, a market underscored by recent industry commentary at CES and YouTube’s usage milestones. Investors in the round are described as a number of strategic investors. The company intends to use the funding to scale its product and operations in response to growing video-ad demand. Brainient provides enhanced video advertising enabling publishers and agencies to place ads inside videos using a drag-and-drop interface. Its technology focuses on creating actionable in-video banners (for example, booking a test-drive while watching a car ad). The company positions this approach as a response to high pre-roll skip rates and falling pre-roll ad rates amid competition. The article cites eMarketer data that 36% of online video viewers click away on pre-roll ads and notes video advertising is expected to hit $3.3 billion globally by 2012. Brainient secured $800,000 in financing led by Arts Alliance and counts Silicon Valley investor Dave McClure along with Alex Hoye, Algy Williams and Sherry Coutu among participants. Previously it had €50,000 in seed funding following Seedcamp Week, and Jason Goodman, Claude London and Oliver Shapleski have joined the board.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Jan 2012