adRise, which has offered a video ad exchange for connected TVs, is moving upstream, introducing "adRise Connect," for content providers to easily create and distribute video apps across multiple devices. Farhad Massoudi, founder and CEO of adRise told me yesterday the product is will allow content providers to avoid developing expensive custom apps, as well as dealing with the submission process, for each connected TV platform.

With adRise Connect, which is free to use, content providers get a standardized navigation app which can be skinned to fit their brand identify. Farhad said the app's navigation is based on Netflix's popular video app, with a basic taxonomy, images and descriptions. adRise's model is to help content providers deploy more video apps which in turn drive more views and ad inventory for it to monetize. adRise Connect is initially available on a half-dozen of the 11 connected TV platforms that adRise is serving ad to.

The first announced customer for adRise is Starz Media's Manga Entertainment. (see sample screen shot below)