The FPC Podcast

Chapters00:00 Introduction 01:41 Andrew Buckman's Career Journey02:10 Experian's Acquisition of Audigent07:03 Insights on Experian's Strategy10:52 Channel Factory Rumuors and Valuation Discussion13:09 Holdco News: Omnicom and IPG Merger14:15 Impact of Omnicom and IPG Merger on the Industry20:43 Indie Agencies and Market Dynamics24:11 Azerion and the Goldbach Acquisition35:33 Strategic Partnerships and Future Outlook37:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

SummaryAlvaro del Castillo, CEO of TapTap, shares insights from his journey scaling TapTap since 2010, the evolution of the ad tech landscape, and the playbook for scaling businesses in Europe. The conversation also highlights the growing interest from private equity firms in the ad tech space, as well as the explosion in strategic acquirers since 2021.We also discuss BedRock Platform's latest hire, Austin Scott, who has joined from Microsoft as Chief Commercial officer and co-founder.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests01:49 M&A Activity in Ad Tech and MarTech06:10 The Evolution of European Ad Tech10:33 Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling in Europe13:49 Insights on M&A Trends and Private Equity Interest17:49 Navigating the European Market: Cultural and Operational Challenges21:12 Expanding into Latin America23:50 Early Days of TapTap and Fundraising Experiences30:00 Austin Scott Joins Bedrock as Chief Commercial Officer34:54 Advice for Founders in the Ad Tech SpaceLinksFPC's M&A trackerTapTap announces partnership with bd capitalAustin Scott joins Bedrock Platform as CCO

SummaryAnother busy week for ad tech M&A! MediaOcean acquired Innovid for $500M, and Bending Spoons acquired Brightcove for $233M M&A activities.In funding news, Zeotap announced a $25M Series D, a combination of debt and equity, reportedly taking the total amount raised to $117M.We also examine the financial motivations behind the growing trend of Curation, and discuss Bedrock Platform's Closed Loop Curation approach.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ad Tech Trends02:59 M&A Activity in Ad Tech06:08 Emerging Players: Bending Spoons and Brightcove09:01 Innovid and MediaOcean: A New CTV Powerhouse12:09 Zeotap's Series D Funding and Market Position15:00 Curation in Ad Tech: The Rise of Bedrock17:57 The Financial Dynamics of Curation20:58 Conclusion and Future OutlookLinksFPC M&A TrackerBending Spoon's IPO plansClean room sketch by Exchangewire

SummaryIn this episode of the FPC podcast, the team discusses the latest financial news in ad tech, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, the rise of Super Signal Aggregators (SSAs), and the verticalisation of ad networks. The conversation features insights from industry experts on the importance of data and attention technology, as well as the evolving landscape of B2B marketing. In this conversation, Mike Follett discusses the evolution of Lumen's partnerships, the importance of simplicity in ad tech, and how attention metrics correlate with brand uplift and profit. He emphasises the future focus on signal aggregation and AI's role in enhancing creative capabilities. The discussion also touches on the challenges of navigating valuations and the importance of capital efficiency in building sustainable businesses.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Team Dynamics03:09 M&A Trends in Ad Tech06:10 The Rise of Super Signal Aggregators09:02 Verticalisation in Ad Tech11:56 The Future of B2B Ad Networks14:54 Lumen's Role in Attention Technology20:42 Partnerships and Client Demand23:31 The Importance of Simplicity in Ad Tech24:52 Linking Attention to Brand Uplift28:52 Future Focus: Signals Aggregation and AI in Creative32:03 Navigating Valuations and Capital Efficiency

SummaryIn the inaugural episode of the FPC podcast, Rich, Ciaran and Alex discuss recent M&A activity, the emergence of super signal aggregators, and the potential impact of US election on the M&A landscape. They highlight the success of companies like AppLovin and The Trade Desk, delve into the growing retail media sector, and introduce Pixels, a company focused on transforming vertical video for the open web. The conversation emphasises the evolving nature of ad tech and the opportunities for investment and growth in the sector.Key TakeawaysM&A activity is increasing in the ad tech space.The ad tech industry is bifurcating into signal and media execution.Super signal aggregators are becoming crucial in ad tech.Political changes may influence M&A activity in the coming years.AppLovin and Trade Desk are leading success stories in ad tech.Retail media is a growing sector with significant potential.Pixels aims to bring vertical video to the open web.The market for vertical video is growing rapidly.Generalist investors should be aware of the opportunities, but also the complexities in the ad tech space.Chapters00:00 Introduction to The FPC Podcast01:49 M&A Trends in Ad Tech06:10 The Rise of Super Signal Aggregators09:48 Political Impacts on the M&A Landscape14:10 Success Stories: AppLovin and The Trade Desk17:56 Retail Media and Non-Traditional Ad Businesses21:48 Pixels: The Future of Vertical Video29:55 Market Potential and Future Plans for PixelsPixels - Additional InfoTo learn more about Pixels, check out the full video interview here, and the pitch deck here.FirstPartyCapital - Additional InfoTo learn more about FPC, check out our website here, and subscribe to our newsletter here.