07 August, 2019 | By Anzu
An edited version of this article was first published on VentureBeat
We are excited to announce that Anzu has raised $6.5 million in Series A funding led by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures, with participation from WPP, the world’s largest communications services group, and Axel Springer Digital Ventures, Europe’s largest digital publishing house. The funding will be used to expand market offerings specifically targeting Triple AAA game franchises on PC and consoles and strengthen our presence in European and North American markets by significantly scaling business development efforts in the regions.
While in-game advertising isn’t new, Anzu.io said it can make it more intelligent. It seamlessly integrates digital ads directly into the gameplay, without disrupting the user experience.
The gaming industry is becoming one of the most premium channels for advertisers due to the massive opportunity for ad exposure and engagement from esports tournaments and ever-evolving streaming culture. With its hyper-targeting capabilities, Anzu.io creates personalized advertising experiences within games and replaces hard-coded advertisement norms with programmatically served dynamic in-game ads. Anzu.io empowers top-tier game developers to partner with Fortune 500 brands to directly reach the audience in-game, enabling developers to keep monetizing the same user in different ways.
Recently, Anzu.io launched the first ad-verification solution in console gaming, enabling brands not only to pay only for viewable ads but also to make sure the ads are displayed in a brand-safe and fraud-free environment.
“I am thrilled to build a strategic partnership with BITKRAFT, WPP, and Axel Springer to further our mission to be at the forefront of ad tech innovation,” said Itamar Benedy, Anzu’s Co-founder and CEO. “We will continue to push the boundaries of the advertising world as we apply the time-tested ad tactics used in the physical world to the gaming and esports industries to transform them into a premium revenue engine while enabling marketers to tap into pop culture through games.”
Bitkraft has been actively investing in early-stage and mid-sized esports and game companies during the past year or so.
“With 2.4B gamers around the world, gaming and the virtual worlds they take place in still remains the biggest untapped advertising market,” commented BITKRAFT Founder and Managing Partner, Jens Hilgers. “We believe in Anzu’s vision to integrate with the biggest titles in online gaming and esports to run ad delivery through their technically advanced platform, unlocking a massive opportunity not just for publishers, but also for teams and streamers looking for additional revenue.”
Bitkraft has been actively investing in early-stage and mid-sized esports and game companies during the past year or so.
“With 2.4B gamers around the world, gaming and the virtual worlds they take place in still remains the biggest untapped advertising market,” commented BITKRAFT Founder and Managing Partner, Jens Hilgers. “We believe in Anzu’s vision to integrate with the biggest titles in online gaming and esports to run ad delivery through their technically advanced platform, unlocking a massive opportunity not just for publishers, but also for teams and streamers looking for additional revenue.”
Anzu’s unique technology can help your advertising goals. Get in touch with us today to know more!
Anzu.io is an in-game advertising platform that brings real-world brand ads to video gaming and esports. Backed by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures, WPP, and Axel Springer Digital Ventures, Anzu redefines digital advertising through seamless integration of non-intrusive ads into the gameplay. Bringing real-time data and programmatic to the video gaming world, the platform promises native advertising, brand safety and ad viewability. Follow Anzu on
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