{{Short description|French advertising technology company}} {{Infobox company | name = Equativ | logo = Equativ Logo Final June 2025 Color Dark Horizontal.png | former_name = Smart AdServer | type = Private | industry = Advertising technology | predecessor = Aufeminin | founded = 2001 | hq_location_city = Paris | hq_location_country = France | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Arnaud Créput (CEO)<br>JF Cote (Cofounder Sharethrough & Strategic Advisor)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadership |url=https://www.equativ.com/company/leadership |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Equativ}}</ref> | products = Ad Server, SSP, DSP, Curation, CTV Ad Insertion | owner = Bridgepoint Group (majority shareholder),<ref name="bridgepoint_press">{{Cite web |title=Equativ Announces Bridgepoint as New Majority Shareholder to Accelerate Scale and Growth of the Independent AdTech Company |url=https://www.equativ.com/press/equativ-announces-bridgepoint-as-new-majority-shareholder-to-accelerate-scale-and-growth-of-the-independent-adtech-company/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Equativ |date=22 February 2023}}</ref> Capital Croissance | num_employees = 800+ (2025)<ref name="globewire_unification">{{Cite web |title=Equativ and Sharethrough Will Now Operate Under Equativ Brand, Solidifying Global Position as Leading End-to-End Media Platform |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/06/09/3095845/0/en/Equativ-and-Sharethrough-Will-Now-Operate-Under-Equativ-Brand-Solidifying-Global-Position-as-Leading-End-to-End-Media-Platform.html |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=GlobeNewswire |date=9 June 2025}}</ref> | revenue = {{Increase}}Over $200M (net recurring revenue, 2024)<ref name="merger_press">{{Cite web |title=Equativ and Sharethrough Merge to Form One of the Largest Global Independent Ad Platforms and Marketplaces |url=https://www.equativ.com/press/equativ-and-sharethrough-merge |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Equativ |date=24 April 2024}}</ref><br>{{Increase}}$100M (net recurring revenue, 2022)<ref name="100m_revenue">{{Cite web |title=Equativ Celebrates One Year Since Rebrand After Record $100M+ Global Net Recurring Revenues |url=https://www.equativ.com/press/equativ-celebrates-one-year-since-rebrand-after-record-100m-global-net-recurring-revenues/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Equativ |date=14 June 2023}}</ref><br>€197M (gross revenue, 2021)<ref>[https://www.societe.com/societe/smartadserver-487613481.html Societe.com]</ref> | website = {{URL|https://equativ.com}} }} '''Equativ''' (formerly known as '''Smart AdServer''') is a French advertising technology company that provides a vertically integrated platform for both advertisers and publishers. The company operates an ad server, a SSP, and a DSP, with a focus on solutions for Advanced TV and premium publishers.<ref name="rebrand_jdn">{{in lang|fr}}[https://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/publicite/1512402-adtech-smart-adserver-se-rebaptise-equativ-et-leve-des-fonds/ Adtech: Smart AdServer se rebaptise Equativ et lève des fonds], JDN</ref>
Created in 2001 as part of Aufeminin, it was sold to private-equity fund Cathay Capital in 2015,<ref>{{in lang|fr}}[http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/publicite/vente-smart-adserver-cathay-capital.shtml Aufeminin va vendre Smart AdServer pour plus de 35 millions d'euros], JDN</ref> then to private-equity fund Capital Croissance in 2021.<ref>{{in lang|en}}[https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/smart-adserver-undergoes-ownership-overhaul/ Smart AdServer Undergoes Ownership Overhaul], Adweek</ref> In 2023, Bridgepoint Group became the majority shareholder.<ref name="bridgepoint_press"/> It operates globally in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
== History == Smart AdServer was created in 2001 by aufeminin.com to manage advertisements on the publisher's websites. It became an independent company within the same group in 2005, then expanded locally and internationally.<ref>[http://www.clubic.com/actualite-145758-100-clients-francais-smart-adserver.html 100 clients français Smart Adserver]</ref>
In 2007, Axel Springer SE, the largest digital publishing house in Europe, bought AuFeminin. Following that take-over, the company expanded into Europe, Latin America and the United States.<ref>[http://www.e-marketing.fr/Breves/Smart-AdServer-poursuit-son-developpement-a-l-international Smart poursuit son développement à l'international]{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, E-Marketing</ref> In 2015, Axel Springer sold the company to private equity fund Cathay Capital for €37 million.<ref>[http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/publicite/vente-smart-adserver-cathay-capital.shtml Aufeminin va vendre Smart pour plus de 35 millions d'euros], JDN</ref>
In 2021, private equity fund Capital Croissance became the new majority shareholder of the company in a secondary LBO, with the aim of accelerating the company's development in the United States and in connected TV.<ref>[https://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/pub-en-ligne-smart-se-pose-en-arme-anti-google-20210127 Pub en ligne: Smart se pose en arme anti-Google], Le Figaro</ref> In June 2022, the company rebranded from Smart AdServer to Equativ to reflect its unified and comprehensive service offerings.<ref name="rebrand_jdn"/>
In February 2023, Equativ was acquired by the Private Equity fund Bridgepoint Group, in a transaction valued at over €300m. The acquisition was intended to help Equativ scale and become a globally competitive independent alternative to ad tech "walled gardens".<ref>[https://capitalfinance.lesechos.fr/deals/lbo/equativ-valorisee-plus-de-300-m-dans-un-buy-out-avec-bridgepoint-1910636 Equativ valorisée plus de 300 M€ dans un buy-out avec Bridgepoint], Capital Finance</ref><ref name="bridgepoint_press"/>
== Mergers and acquisitions == In 2019, Equativ acquired LiquidM, a global Demand Side Platform (DSP) based in Berlin, to create a more integrated platform for both advertisers and publishers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=AdServer |first=Smart |title=Smart s'offre le DSP LiquidM |url=https://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/4038540W/smart-s-offre-le-dsp-liquidm.html |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=www.strategies.fr |date=19 December 2019 |language=fr}}</ref>
In 2021, Equativ acquired DynAdmic, a video advertising platform, to enhance its cookie-free targeting capabilities for video and CTV.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A French ad firm just snapped up a startup to cash in on the boom in digital TV advertising |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/smart-adserver-acquires-dynadmic-to-grow-ott-ad-business-2021-6 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.businessinsider.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In 2022, Equativ acquired Nowtilus, a German specialist in server-side ad insertion (SSAI), to strengthen its position in the advanced TV market.<ref name="nowtilus_press">{{Cite web |title=Equativ Accelerates CTV Growth with Strategic Investment for a Significant Stake in Nowtilus |url=https://www.equativ.com/press/equativ-accelerates-ctv-growth-with-strategic-investment-for-a-significant-stake-in-nowtilus |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Equativ |date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=L'adtech française Equativ se renforce dans la télévision connectée |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/tech-medias/hightech/ladtech-francaise-equativ-se-renforce-dans-la-television-connectee-1775088 |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=www.lesechos.fr |date=7 July 2022 |language=fr}}</ref>
In 2024, Equativ merged with Sharethrough, a Supply Side Platform (SSP) based in Canada. The merger aimed to significantly increase Equativ's scale in North America and create a combined entity with over $200 million in net recurring revenue.<ref name="merger_press"/> In June 2025, the company announced that both entities would fully unify and operate under the Equativ brand name.<ref name="globewire_unification"/>
== Products and services == Equativ operates a unified, vertically integrated platform designed to serve both the supply and demand sides of the advertising ecosystem. * '''Equativ Seller Connect''': An integrated ad server and SSP that allows publishers to manage and monetize their advertising inventory across multiple formats, including display, video, and CTV.<ref name="100m_revenue"/> * '''Equativ Buyer Connect''': The company's DSP, which provides advertisers and agencies with access to ad inventory for programmatic buying.<ref name="merger_press"/> * '''Equativ Curation''': A platform that enables data providers, agencies, and publishers to package ad inventory with targeting data into curated deals for advertisers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Equativ’s New Curation Platform Aims to Give Buyers More Control |url=https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/equativs-new-curation-platform-aims-to-give-buyers-more-control/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Adweek |date=15 November 2022}}</ref> * '''CTV and Video''': Through its acquisition of Nowtilus, Equativ offers server-side ad insertion (SSAI) solutions for live and on-demand video streaming, a key technology for advertising on Connected TV platforms.<ref name="nowtilus_press"/>
== See also ==
* Supply-side platform * Real-Time Bidding
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
Category:Online advertising services and affiliate networks Category:Technology companies established in 2001 Category:French companies established in 2001 Category:Companies based in Paris