Turn operates a demand-side platform and data management platform for digital advertising. The company reported 50% growth in customers using its DSP and DMP and 44% year-over-year growth in its agency and brand-direct business. Product focus plans include video in the first half of 2016, native in the second half, becoming mostly mobile, and enhancing its DMP into a more robust standalone offering. Financially, Turn raised funds to support day-to-day operations and working capital needs related to accounts receivable. The company has raised a total of $152.5 million since 2005. CEO Bruce Falck said he does not anticipate seeking more investor funds for a couple of years and plans to run the company profitably; Turn also announced two hires to its leadership team. Turn operates in the advertising-technology (ad-tech) sector. The company announced an $80 million Series E round, reflecting renewed investor interest in ad-tech. The round included investments from Fidelity Investments and BlackRock. TechCrunch frames the financing as part of a broader return of public and institutional investors to the sector after successful IPOs by peers such as RocketFuel and Criteo. The article notes ongoing venture activity in ad-tech and presents Turn's financing as evidence that later-stage advertising companies can again attract major asset managers. Jeff Crowe of Norwest Venture Partners, an investor in Turn, is quoted on continual innovation in the space and the potential for more IPOs. Turn is a demand-side platform (DSP) that centralizes ad-buying across multiple ad exchanges and networks, offering automated bidding and audience targeting. The company emphasizes an enterprise-class real-time bidding infrastructure, an algorithmically optimized data and media platform, and intuitive self-service software for marketers, per CEO Bill Demas. Turn launched its platform in 2008 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California. Demas says the company has consistently doubled its revenue every year. Turn has raised $57 million to date. The company positions its offering on flexibility, transparency, and high return on investment for advertisers. Turn is an online ad exchange based in Redwood City, California, that offers contextual and behavioral targeting for advertisers. The company abandoned a CPA model in favor of a 'flexible' CPM model and emphasizes metrics-driven performance for direct response and brand-minded clients. Turn positions itself to serve national branded response advertisers and competes with Google/DoubleClick, Yahoo!'s Right Media and ContextWeb's ADSDAQ. Leadership includes CEO Jim Barnett, who has highlighted the importance of performance metrics across the fragmenting web. Turn plans to use new financing to build out its platform and expand its sales teams as it pushes ahead with clients. As of July 2008 the company reached over 93 million U.S. uniques per ComScore Media Metrix, a doubling in reach since March. Turn delivers targeted advertising for websites by selecting ads based on a site's readership and multiple variables. Its platform considers factors such as a site's subject matter, design, and owners' preference for click-throughs versus impressions when choosing ads. The company was launched by Jim Barnett, the former chief executive of Altavista. Turn has completed a second round of financing, raising $8 million, and previously raised $18 million. Norwest Venture Partners, Trident Capital and Shasta Ventures are listed among investors in the latest round, according to a regulatory filing cited by PEHub. The article notes competing ad-network companies have emerged and some have been acquired.

Total raised

$166M

Funding rounds

8

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Mar 2016