Tapad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Advertising technology |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Are Traasdahl, Dag Liodden |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Number of employees | 135 (2015) |
| Parent | Experian |
| Website | www |
Tapad Inc. is a privately held, venture-backed company based in New York City that specializes in cross-device advertising technology. The firm creates software solutions that apply advanced algorithms to analyze internet and device data, identifying when multiple devices are linked to the same individual. This capability allows advertisers to deliver targeted campaigns seamlessly across various platforms.
Established in 2010 by entrepreneur Are Traasdahl alongside co-founder and CTO Dag Liodden, Tapad secured $1.8 million in funding during 2011 and followed with a $6.5 million investment round in 2013 to fuel its expansion. By 2015, the company reported $34 million in revenue and had grown its team to 135 employees.
In January 2016, Telenor Group, a leading Norwegian telecommunications corporation, acquired nearly 95% ownership of Tapad for $360 million, highlighting the company's significant role and strategic importance within digital advertising. Subsequently, in November 2020, Experian purchased Tapad for approximately $280 million, incorporating its digital identity resolution technology into Experian’s suite of data services.
History
The idea behind Tapad was inspired by Are Traasdahl’s insights at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where he noticed consumers frequently switching between multiple devices. Building on his experience as founder of mobile entertainment venture Thumbplay, Traasdahl sought to help brands engage users fluidly across different devices.
Together with CTO Dag Liodden and the founding team, Tapad developed proprietary algorithms and officially launched in 2010. Although initial client acquisition took close to a year, growth accelerated rapidly thereafter. The company expanded its sales operations into key U.S. markets and relocated its headquarters to a larger office space in New York as it scaled up.
The company’s financing history includes $1.8 million raised in 2011, $6.5 million in 2013 which valued the firm at $140 million, followed by $7 million in 2014 to support expansion into Europe, and an additional $18.5 million in 2015 aimed at product development enhancements. By 2016, Tapad was serving 160 brands across the U.S. and maintained partnerships with 50 data licensors.
The acquisition by Telenor Group for $360 million in 2016 represented a pivotal achievement, emphasizing Tapad’s competitive edge and influence within the ad technology sector. Later, the sale to Experian for roughly $280 million in 2020 positioned Tapad within a global leader in data services, strengthening its focus on identity resolution and cross-device marketing capabilities.
Software and services
Tapad utilizes various data points—including cookie identifiers, operating system IDs, IP addresses, online registrations, and publisher collaborations—to estimate the probability that multiple devices belong to the same individual or household. The company highlights that none of its data includes personally identifiable information (PII). Independent testing by Nielsen demonstrated that Tapad’s device matching accuracy reached 91.2%, closely approaching deterministic approaches that rely on PII.
The technology enables advertisers to deliver campaigns across devices; for instance, ads shown on a mobile device can be based on browsing behavior observed on a desktop computer. This cross-device targeting allows marketers to engage users effectively by analyzing usage patterns within connected device networks. Additionally, Tapad offers cross-device analytics covering aspects such as location, timing, user behavior patterns, and audience insights.
Publishers benefit from Tapad’s platform by tracking consumer interactions across multiple devices, facilitating customized advertising and editorial content that ensures consistent experiences for users.
In 2015, Tapad formed a partnership with Placed to track store visits influenced by digital advertising campaigns and introduced TV Pulse to assess digital ad performance using first-party data sources. The company also licenses its Device Graph technology to other organizations, integrating it into diverse marketing solutions.
Privacy
Tapad’s advertising efforts feature notifications that clarify their use of behavioral data analysis and provide users with options to opt out, aligning with the standards set by the Digital Advertising Alliance. Since 2011, these disclosures have been facilitated through a collaboration with Evidon. Although Tapad's swift expansion has drawn attention from regulators and privacy advocates, the company's CEO asserts that no personally identifiable information is gathered.
In 2018, Tapad was among multiple companies cited in privacy complaints submitted in the United Kingdom by Privacy International, accusing them of potential GDPR breaches and underscoring the persistent regulatory oversight impacting their worldwide activities.