ZypMedia

ZypMedia, initially founded as ExtendTV in 2013, operates as a programmatic media-buying platform tailored for local advertising. The company was established in San Francisco by the collaborative effort of former college roommates Aman Sareen and Ramandeep Ahuja, who serves as the Chief Technology Officer, alongside media executive Mark Goldman. The firm's core mission was to equip local broadcasters with the tools to transition into the programmatic advertising space.

The company's business model is centered around its proprietary full-stack technology platform, which empowers media companies to manage their digital advertising offerings. ZypMedia provides enterprise software that enables some of the nation's largest broadcasters to plan, execute, and manage programmatic campaigns for their local clients across various digital channels, including over-the-top (OTT) streaming services. Revenue is generated by providing these technology solutions and services, which include staff training, customer support, and backend operations, allowing partners to augment their traditional advertising with digital solutions. This approach targets the substantial $150 billion local advertising market, which is experiencing a significant shift in viewership from traditional media to digital and OTT platforms.

ZypMedia's flagship product is a demand-side platform (DSP), known as ZypTV, which was purpose-built to handle the specific complexities of local programmatic advertising. A key feature, ZypCode, is a programmatic media-buying system based on High-Frequency Trading (HFT) principles. Another offering, ZypLink, provides access to a wide array of video and display ad impressions, enhanced with both first-party and third-party data for precise customer targeting. To round out its service, ZypCare delivers a campaign management solution complete with analytics. Through collaborations with major ad exchanges like Google's DoubleClick, Liverail (a Facebook company), and others, ZypMedia offers extensive access to brand-name websites, mobile apps, and connected TV applications.

Throughout its history, ZypMedia achieved several key milestones. The company secured a total of $16.9 million in funding over four rounds. A significant Series B funding round in 2015, which raised $4.4 million, was led by Sinclair Broadcast Group, a major television broadcaster. This deal included a long-term commercial agreement for ZypMedia to provide its services to Sinclair's extensive sales force. Subsequently, a Series C round in October 2018 brought in an additional $5.6 million, led by Archer Venture Capital, with continued participation from Sinclair and U.S. Venture Partners. This strategic investment from Sinclair culminated in February 2021, when Sinclair Broadcast Group, which already held a 27% stake, acquired the remaining interest in ZypMedia for approximately $7 million. Following the acquisition, ZypMedia became part of Compulse, Sinclair's marketing technology unit, to enhance its omnichannel campaign capabilities for media companies.

Keywords: programmatic advertising, local advertising, ad-tech, demand-side platform, media buying, OTT advertising, digital advertising platform, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Compulse, campaign management, local media, video advertising, display advertising, ad exchange, audience targeting, ZypTV, high-frequency trading, data-driven advertising, enterprise software, media technology