Israeli startup ClarityRay, which develops and provides anti-ad blocking software solutions for publishers, has just been acquired by Yahoo for $15 million.
Founded in 2012 by Guy Pitelko and Ido Yablonka, the company has until now only brought in $500, 000 in funding from its chairman Saar Wilf. It helps publishers and networks identify and prevent ad-fraud.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
Everyone knows how annoying pop up ads can be on line. Many programs, such as Ad Block Plus, offer web surfers the ability to block all sorts of advertising that can fill up their screens.
ClarityRay started out helping firms get around such software. But is soon switched its focus to helping companies prevent advertising fraud on their sites.
They have already taken down their independent website.
If you go to there, all you will see now is a statement about the sale which says:
“Our vision has always been making the eco-system safe, compliant and sustainable for consumers, publishers and advertisers. We helped the online advertising industry take a big step towards that direction by identifying, measuring, and solving many of its unseen hurdles inhibiting that. We brought traffic clarity to an amazing roster of clients, with our findings becoming an industry standard.”
The statement continues by saying that joining Google will let the company realize its vision and concludes with a thank you to its customers, employees and investors.
The company’s CEO Ido Yablonka has already updated his LinkedIn page to say that he is now a manager with Yahoo.
A Yahoo spokesman issued the following statement:
“We’ve been working on building up security capabilities and making Yahoo a safer place for users and partners. Advertising is an essential part of our business here at Yahoo, and we’re committed to getting it right. ClarityRay is a company with deep expertise in ad-malware detection and prevention. The bottom line for Yahoo is that search is going to get better and safer for users, and advertising will become more reliable and profitable for partners.”
The move fits in with Yahoo’s recent efforts at reinventing itself which include other high profile acquisitions, bringing in new employees such as Katie Couric and the offering of original television programming.
