A number of ad tech vets made Inc. Magazine’s annual 500/5000 revenue survey this month, but there were also some notable new additions and absentees following acquisitions last year.
Inc.’s survey, which was released late last week, features the revenues and employee growth figures of independent companies considered to be among the fastest-growing in the United States.
There have been a handful of notable exits since last year. EXelate and LiveRail, for instance, which both made last year’s roster, were snapped up by Nielsen and Facebook, respectively.
Midroll Media, which produces, distributes and monetizes (via its ad platform) podcasts, is a new addition to this year’s list, though it likely won’t be there next year – the E.W. Scripps Co. acquired it in July for an undisclosed sum.
Drawbridge seems to be latching onto the demand for cross-device pairing. Its growth rate, at 23,484%, is insane. Mobile ad platform StartApp is growing at an equally absurd rate (22,036%).
The Trade Desk, which wasn’t on last year’s list, also was a standout, reporting revenues of $202.1 million (only MediaMath is bringing in more) with a 6,949% three-year growth rate. In the meantime, rival trading desk Accordant Media, which had a 1,663% three-year growth rate in last year’s list, has normalized somewhat; it’s now growing at 614%.
Notably, huge upticks in revenue growth coincide with huge upticks in headcount.
The Trade Desk, for instance, reported 250 employees, 233 of whom are new. Similarly Drawbridge reported 87 new employees within its 100-strong staff, and StartApp reported 70 new employees amid 81.
Below is a list of 2014 revenues presented in descending order of three-year growth rate from highest to lowest. Current headcount and employee growth are included.
Disclaimers: (1) Results are not audited, and (2) some revenues derive from media costs, which are passed on to publishers and ad platform partners.
- Drawbridge – $32.9 million (23,484%), 100 employees, 87 jobs added
- StartApp – $37.2 million (22,036%), 81 employees, 70 jobs added
- Extreme Reach – $214.2 million (1,117%), 940 employees, 840 jobs added
- The Trade Desk – $202.1 million (6,949%), 250 employees, 233 jobs added
- Signal – $17.2 million (5,244%), 139 employees, 109 jobs added
- Contently – $7.6 million (4,491%), 73 employees, 68 jobs added
- Ampush – $15.2 million (4,399%), 130 employees, 110 jobs added
- Cardlytics – $53.5 million (3,587%), 271 employees, 23 jobs added
- Impact Radius – $6 million (3,087%), 135 employees, 115 jobs added
- Midroll Media – $7.9 million (2,616%), 24 employees, 23 jobs added
- Leads On Demand – $3.4 million (2,032%), 40 employees, 36 jobs added
- AdKarma – $45.1 million (2,017%), 76 employees, 65 jobs added
- Adzerk – $2.1 million (1,726%), 17 employees, 10 jobs added
- Integral Ad Science – $51.9 million (1,308%), 166 employees, 142 jobs added
- Rainmaker Ad Ventures – $8.2m (1,180%), two employees, no jobs added
- Ensighten – $19.5 million (1,012%), 281 employees, 266 jobs added
- Altitude Digital – $59.7 million (893%), 82 employees, 70 jobs added
- Q1Media – $52.7 million (797%), 60 employees, 45 jobs added
- ADjector – $2.9 million (697%), seven employees, four jobs added
- AdGate Media – $6.3 million (673%), six employees, four jobs added
- Accordant Media – $42.2 million (614%), 58 employees, 40 jobs added
- Digital Media Solutions – $34.3 million (607%), 100 employees, 90 jobs added
- Social Media Link – $6 million (597%), 20 employees, nine jobs added
- MediaMath – $471.1 million (506%), 659 employees, 529 jobs added
- PK4 Media – $13.8 million (505%), 31 employees, 26 jobs added
- xAd – $61.8 million (494%), 175 employees, 135 jobs added
- Madwire – $18.3 million (406%), 132 employees, 55 jobs added
- DataXu – $167.5 million (362%), 300 employees, 260 jobs added
- Trueffect – $29.7 million (314%), 75 employees, 50 jobs added
- 4INFO – $28 million (231%), 45 employees, seven jobs added
- Resonate – $27.6 million (181%), 92 employees, 49 jobs added
- Madison Logic – $26.3 million (166%), 61 employees, 31 jobs added
- Launchpad Advertising – $8.9 million (128%), 50 employees, 15 jobs added
- Dstillery – $63.5 million (97%), 150 employees, 69 jobs added
- WideOrbit – $97.1 million (82%), 525 employees, 254 jobs added
