ividence, the first stand-alone email ad exchange, has successfully completed a $4 million series B capital increase led by Omnes Capital (formerly Credit Agricole Private Equity), with participation from existing investor, A Plus Finance.
Created in 2008 and based in Paris, ividence connects advertisers and list owners with a platform that uses behavioral targeting to unlock the true potential of email ads. The company monetizes more than 50 million email addresses in France and in the United States as well as managing more than 3,000 campaigns a month. The company’s advertising clients have included SeLoger, WeekEndDesk, Aujourd’hui, Zanox, Tradedoubler, Cdiscount, Zalando, BNP Paribas, Cofinoga, La Redoute, 3 Suisses, Marionnaud, Ford and Infogroup. ividence tripled its 2011 revenue compared to 2010.
With this new round of financing, the company will quickly expand its infrastructure in the U.S. and fuel rapid growth. Since 2011, the company has grown to 11 employees in the U.S., with offices in San Francisco and New York.
“We are delighted to welcome Omnes Capital as new investors. Their long-term support will enable us to achieve our ambitious objectives. This funding will provide us with the financial resources to continue our international growth, enhance our platform’s capability, and maintain our position as a market leader in behaviorally targeted email advertising,” said Eric Didier, ividence CEO and co-founder.
“We’re pleased to support ividence‘s two seasoned founders, Eric Didier and Eric Prigent, in their quest to take the efficiency and ROI of email advertising to the next level,” said Xavier Brunaud, Associate at Omnes Capital.
Participants in the funding round
Omnes Capital
Xavier Brunaud
Antoine Colboc
APlus Finance
Jean-Michel Pimont
Alice Besomi
Advisers
Financial adviser: Chausson Finance: Sabine Fillias
Legal adviser to ividence: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius: Olivier Edwards, Laurence de Tinguy
Legal adviser to Omnes Capital and APlus Finance: Jones Day: Charles Gavoty, Anne Kerneur
Omnes Capital due diligence: Ernst & Young: Emmanuel Picard, François Poncet
About ividence
ividence completely transforms the email ad market’s traditional practices, bringing to email what is expected in the display and search markets. The 100% automated platform matches offers to records based on bid, performance, and end-user behavior, resulting in fewer emails sent, improved ROI for advertisers, and improved revenue for publishers. ividence received a 2011 Red Herring Global Top 100 award and has received international recognition for their innovative approach to email ads.
www.ividence.com
About Omnes Capital (formerly Crédit Agricole Private Equity)
Omnes Capital is a major player in private equity, with a commitment to financing SMEs. With €1.9 billion in assets under management, Omnes Capital provides companies with the capital needed to finance their growth and with key expertise in a number of areas: mid-cap LBO & Expansion Capital, Venture Capital in technology and life sciences, Renewable Energy, Secondary Funds of Funds, Co-Investment.
Omnes Capital, formerly Crédit Agricole Private Equity, was a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole until March 2012 when the company was acquired by Coller Capital, the global leader in the secondary private equity market.
Omnes Capital is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).
About Chausson Finance
Chausson Finance is known as an historical player within the European venture capital industry. It has raised an aggregated amount of EUR 500 million over the past few years for the benefit of more than 160 companies, to help them build their success stories.
ividence U.S. Press Contact
Lynn Dalsing, ldalsing@ividence.com – 415.349.5031
Omnes Capital Press Contacts
Martine Sessin-Caracci, martine.sessincaracci@www-rec.omnescapital.com – +33 1 43 23 90 88
Caroline Babouillard, (Shan), caroline.babouillard@shan.fr – +33 1 44 50 58 72