Smart AdServer, direct and programmatic advertising platform, plans to partner with Cathay Capital Private Equity. The investment fund, active across the United States, Europe and Asia, is an expert in supporting fast-growing SMEs with their crossborder growth strategies. Cathay Capital has made a put option to the internet portal aufeminin for the acquisition of its subsidiary Smart AdServer. Smart AdServer wishes to strongly accelerate its development and to become a leading advertising platform for premium brands and publishers.
Cyrille Geffray, Managing Director of Smart AdServer notes:
“Through this project of the management team to establish Smart AdServer as an independent player, the company would gain a new momentum. Our main goal has always been to equip our clients with the best platform in order to help them to maintain control over their development and to keep their independence. We would continue to support them, without any risks linked to conflict of interest, counterparties or selling-out, but with more resources. Our ambition is to offer the best integrated platform for the optimization of direct and programmatic sales and for any kind of digital content (Web, Mobile and Video). We take an aggressive approach towards innovation and independence, as our clients have strong expectations in both areas.
Smart AdServer would leverage a dual dynamic: on one side, its development in the United States and, on the other, the growth of the programmatic advertising marketplace. In total, the market potential of the company will rise from 60 million dollars today to 3 billion dollars by 2017*. With the active support of Cathay Capital, the Company would undertake significant innovation investments, so as to strengthen its leadership position on its historical activities while continuing to establish strong positions on emerging business areas, mainly in programmatic and video.
According to Fabien Wesse, Partner at Cathay Capital: “By working alongside Smart AdServer’s teams and management, we plan to help the company undertake a new step in its international development, including its ongoing activities in the United States, as well as in other regions such as South America and Europe, or in Asia in the coming years. Smart AdServer would ramp up its investments and recruit new talents, all of which would directly benefit all of the company’s clients.”
* (source : IDC Global RTB and Display Spending White Paper, Sept 2013)