Monetizr

Monetizr operates as a data-driven advertising experience platform, strategically positioned at the nexus of brands, game publishers, and the expansive mobile gaming audience. Founded in 2016 in Riga, Latvia, by Andris Merkulovs and Martins Bratuskins, the company is now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The founders' journey began when they both experienced challenges with traditional app monetization, leading them to create a solution that balances user experience with revenue generation. Merkulovs brings over a decade of marketing and advertising experience, including time at Omnicom, while Bratuskins contributes expertise from the e-commerce and mobile startup sectors.

The company's core business revolves around enabling brands to deploy scalable and cost-effective advertising campaigns across a network of over 500 mobile games. Monetizr addresses the shortcomings of conventional in-game ads, such as intrusive pop-ups and static banners, by integrating brand stories directly into the gameplay. This is achieved through rewarded, native experiences and branded missions that enhance, rather than interrupt, the player's journey. For game publishers, Monetizr provides an incremental revenue stream by defining a new class of in-game ad assets, compatible with existing ad software. The business model generates revenue by allowing brand managers to purchase these immersive ad placements, either directly or programmatically through various Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs). This approach has attracted major CPG brands like Procter & Gamble and top game developers such as Voodoo.

The platform's key service is its ability to deliver multi-touch brand placements based on user behavioral data. Features include offering brands repeated storytelling opportunities within a single gameplay session and providing gamers with tangible rewards like game boosters, product giveaways, and gift cards. A significant selling point is the platform's capacity to deliver anonymous consumer behavioral data, a critical asset following new privacy rules from Apple that limit access to in-app data. This allows for precise targeting of niche audiences. The company has demonstrated considerable traction, having raised a total of $4.71 million over four funding rounds, including a $4 million Series A round in 2023 led by Change Ventures, with participation from Techstars and Ludus Ventures.

Keywords: in-game advertising, mobile gaming, ad-tech, brand engagement, game monetization, rewarded ads, native advertising, consumer data, digital advertising, publisher tools