YuMe Snags $12 Million from Samsung, Translink Capital for Ad-Enabled Connected TVs

YuMe has raised $12 million from Samsung Ventures and Translink Capital to continue integrating its ad technology into connected "Smart TVs."  Just two weeks ago, YuMe announced the first such integration, with LG's Smart TVs. In that deal, YuMe's new Embedded SDK is being integrated into the firmware of the TVs, with access to YuMe's Connected Audience Network and its ACE for Publishers ad platform. The significance of all that is that in-stream video ads can be more effectively delivered to Smart TVs while leveraging the scale already achieved in online video, as they continue to proliferate.

The new funding indicates that Samsung, which has been arguably the most aggressive among its peers in promoting Smart TVs, will also begin integrating YuMe's ad technology. This is a major positive for both independent content providers seeking to monetize their programs delivered over-the-top to connected TVs, and also to advertisers who want to target these viewers. It's worth noting that research Ooyala recently released shows that viewers using connected TVs watch proportionately more video streams over 10 minutes in duration than they do when using tablets, mobile devices or on the desktop. Therefore, YuMe's work - and others' - to help monetize this viewership is critical to the ecosystem.

(Note: YuMe is a VideoNuze sponsor)

Categories: Advertising, Devices

Topics: Samsung Ventures, Translink Capital, YuMe