US-based television analytics platform Samba TV secured $30m yesterday in a series B round that included marketing firms MDC Partners and Interpublic Group, broadcaster A+E Networks and media group Time Warner.
The round was led by venture capital firm Union Grove Venture Partners and also featured TGM, Draper Associates and Ambition VC, while MDC invested through its MDC Ventures unit.
Samba TV’s platform utilises real-time viewer data spanning broadcast and cable TV, over-the-top video content and digital media to provide broadcasters and marketers with detailed data on viewership. It will put the cash toward global growth and product development.
Ashwin Navin, co-founder and chief executive of Samba TV, said: “Samba is bringing unparalleled transparency into TV audiences through trusted insights and precise targeting across platforms.
“That innovation has been a catalyst for our profitability and enabled us to realise 5,000% revenue growth over the last 3 years. We raised this growth round with a specific strategy to further expand the Samba TV Audience Platform to major media markets across the world and continue our trajectory of growth and rapid innovation.”
The round comes after Samba TV, then known as Flingo, raised $8m in a 2012 series A round backed by VC firm August Capital and angel investors including Mark Cuban and Gary Lauder.