Adtech startup Vibe plans to help small businesses take advantage of the trend of streaming apps and services showing more ads by providing a self-serve ad platform like those used to run ads on Google or Meta.
Paris-based VC company Singular led a $22.5 million fundraising round for the business. Business angels, Elaia, and Motier Ventures also invested.
Meta and Google dominate internet ad income, but connected TVs and streaming services are a developing market with unexplored possibilities for adtech businesses. Multiple streaming applications, networks, and live sports leagues make it a fragmented industry.
Even without the major names, there are several ad-supported streaming services, including Pluto, Fubo, and broadcasters like Paramount, Warner Bros., CNN, and others.
“We were close to Comcast, which owns FreeWheel, a big platform that created a marketplace for all these inventories. Benjamin Antier, creator of Publica, the largest streaming app ad server, is on our board. Ari Paparo, creator of Comcast-acquired Beeswax, is on our board. Querou stated that it’s political and about your personal network.
Vibe’s team convinced several partners to join with them since Querou is an adtech veteran. After selling MotionLead to Adikteev, he founded KMTX with Doctolib co-founder Franck Tetzlaff, Frichti’s former CTO.
Seedtag bought this semantic targeting startup in 2022. The pair formed Vibe again after that departure. They returned to adtech because they enjoyed it. It resembles the ideal sandbox. This is a genuine marketplace with a lot of data and decision-making. You can accomplish anything, Querou remarked.
Addressing the long tail with 2,000 customers
Vibe claims the platform unleashes possibilities for small and medium enterprises. Streaming apps and services currently negotiate with Coca-Cola and Ford for a tiny portion of their yearly ad expenditures, but SMBs are tougher to approach.
Vibe lets auto businesses, plumbers, and restaurants generate ads directly. The Vibe ad platform is easy to use. After choosing streaming applications and channels to display your ads, choose a location and audience based on preferences.
Upload your video asset, obtain approval, and you’re ready. Vibe’s performance dashboard tracks spending, cost per view, and other ad analytics.
Over 2,000 U.S. firms utilize Vibe. Vibe earned eight figures in 2023, but the firm wouldn’t disclose it. With 40 staff, the firm intends to expand to 110 by year’s end.
The team will concentrate on behind-the-scenes enhancements such as first-party data-based targeting and automated campaign optimization.
Competition from Google and Meta? Querou believes it’ll be OK. Meta primarily advertises on its social channels. Google: “Publishers have learned their lesson and don’t want to repeat Google’s online mistakes. But streaming also competes with YouTube, he noted.
