uKnow, a company that provides targeting tools for advertisers looking to create custom distribution channels for their ad campaigns, announced today that it closed a $500,000 round of seed funding. The investment was led by iNovia Capital and The New York Angels and included digital media executives Lynn Wunderman, Geoff Judge, Scott Paternoster and Jeff Silverman.
uKnow’s technology uses semantic analysis and natural language processing to identify the content best suited to connecting brands with their audience. BluePrint, uKnow’s targeting application, leverages this technology to allow publishers to work in conjunction with media traders and marketers to create custom channels that pinpoint a brand’s distinguishing characteristics. The application then selects the websites and pages that reflect the client’s particular attributes and offers them the opportunity to buy ad space on those pages.
uKnow also announced today the hiring of Eric Bingham, who was named the company’s President. Bingham joins founders Gregory Fairnak and Peter Gasparini to assist in launching BluePrint. Prior to joining uKnow, Bingham was Chief Operating Officer of Undertone Networks, a digital display and video advertising network. He is also the co-founder of About.com and formerly acted as the site’s Senior Vice President.
uKnow Corporation was founded in 2008 by Peter Gasparini and Greg Fairnak, who saw an opportunity to help digital agencies and their partners define the optimal custom distribution channel for each specific brand, product or service with which they were working. The explosion of ad inventory available via in-direct sales channels and new platforms accelerated the need for a targeting and optimization solution that could cut across wide swaths of inventory with precision, based on the best content and...
iNovia partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build successful companies in high-growth sectors. The team is comprised of entrepreneurs and sector experts focused on Mobile, Internet and Digital Media. iNovia has $275M under management across three seed and early-stage funds. For more information, visit http://www.inovia.vc or follow iNovia on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/iNovia.
Eric Bingham is the Chief Operating Officer of Undertone Networks, responsible for the company’s overall financial and operational management. Prior to joining Undertone, Eric served as COO and CFO at Overpeer, Inc., a peer-to-peer anti-piracy, content distribution and marketing services firm. Before that, Eric was a co-founder and corporate officer at About.com. As Senior Vice President of Business Operations, he helped guide the company from start-up in 1996 through its 1999 initial public offering and acquisition in 2001 by Primedia...
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