The ad tech landscape is always in flux, evolving with dizzying speed and growing complexity. Among the latest seismic shifts is the merger of Equativ and Sharethrough—two independent ad tech players joining forces to create one of the largest global independent ad platforms and marketplaces. This move signals an ambitious effort to untangle the fragmented ad tech ecosystem by blending Equativ’s omnichannel reach with Sharethrough’s prowess in native and social-first advertising formats, ultimately delivering a leaner, more efficient, and higher-quality media experience across multiple channels.
Equativ has carved out a strong presence, particularly across Europe and North America, and has tripled in size over the past three years—no small feat in this hyper-competitive industry. Meanwhile, Sharethrough shines with its native advertising capabilities and social-first approach, offering a complementary product line that minimally overlaps with Equativ’s offerings. Together, under the more unified Equativ brand, they span 18 countries and boast a team of over 720 employees. This operational scale, combined with diverse geographic reach, positions the combined company as a formidable challenger to the industry’s largest giants.
One of the most compelling reasons behind this merger is to provide a simplified, vertically integrated solution for advertisers and publishers tired of juggling a patchwork of vendors and platforms. The traditional ad tech stack is usually a knotty tangle of multiple systems, forcing marketers into balancing acts that sap efficiency and drive up costs. By uniting Equativ’s broad omnichannel capabilities with Sharethrough’s leading supply-side platform (SSP), the merged entity cuts through this complexity. Their integration includes state-of-the-art server-side ad insertion (SSAI) for Connected TV (CTV), advanced targeting tools, and a unified approach to formats spanning video, native advertising, display, and retail media.
Financially, the timing couldn’t be better. Both companies have reported strong year-over-year revenue gains entering 2024: 16% growth for Equativ and 20% for Sharethrough. These increases owe much to strategic partnerships and expanding footholds in the rapidly growing CTV space and “green media,” which emphasizes environmentally conscious advertising. When combined, the net recurring revenue surpasses $200 million, underscoring strong commercial momentum in an industry where scale and innovation are everything.
Technological innovation lies at the heart of this merger. Equativ’s server-side ad insertion technology excels at delivering seamless, high-quality ads across live and on-demand TV content, a perfect match for Sharethrough’s prowess in native advertising. This union amplifies advertisers’ capabilities, enabling them to deploy highly targeted, addressable ads to a growing digital TV audience. For broadcasters, rights owners, and distributors, this translates to optimized viewer engagement and improved yield.
The merger also harmonizes with industry-wide trends emphasizing transparency and user-first technology. Both companies prioritize enhancing user experience without sacrificing advertising effectiveness. They leverage sophisticated data intelligence and consumer insights to make ads more relevant and impactful while addressing widespread privacy concerns and combating ad fatigue. The result is high-impact formats that hold user attention without alienation—an increasingly vital factor in today’s saturated media environment.
Beyond product and technology, the merger expands global reach and operational scale. Operating under the Equativ banner, the combined company fortifies its position in critical markets like North America, Europe, and Canada. This extensive footprint widens inventory access and diversifies demand sources, enabling advertisers and media owners to execute campaigns with more efficiency and scale across borders.
Financial backing for the merger adds another layer of confidence. Bridgepoint, a private equity firm holding a majority stake in Equativ, had valued the company at about €350 million (roughly $518 million CAD) before the acquisition. This investment signals strong investor faith in Equativ’s strategic direction and growth trajectory.
At a macro level, this merger exemplifies the ongoing consolidation in ad tech. Scale and innovation increasingly define success in this fiercely competitive sector, and by combining Sharethrough’s native ad supply and Equativ’s programmability in video and CTV, the new entity catapults itself into the top tier of independent global ad tech companies.
In today’s digital ecosystem, where consumers wander between streaming platforms, connected TV, and mobile apps, advertisers crave smarter, more efficient, and privacy-conscious solutions. Equativ and Sharethrough meet this demand by delivering an integrated platform that blends cutting-edge technology with a broad, international inventory. Their collaboration enables rapid innovation while catering to the complex needs of advertisers, publishers, and end users alike.
This strategic merger marks a turning point, redefining what independent ad tech companies can achieve on a global scale. Their shared goal to demystify and streamline the ad tech stack while enhancing user experience and delivering measurable results is poised to influence the competitive landscape going forward. Advertisers and publishers now benefit from a more transparent, scalable platform ready to handle the multifaceted challenges of programmatic advertising in a world increasingly driven by consumer attention and data intelligence.
In sum, the fusion of Equativ and Sharethrough is more than just a business acquisition—it’s a bold statement on the future of advertising technology. Through their integration, they provide a smarter, user-friendly, and performance-oriented platform designed for today’s complex multi-channel digital world, setting the stage for continual innovation and growth in a marketplace relentlessly chasing consumer engagement.
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