Growing video ad technology provider Teads has announced its specific areas of focus in the year ahead after raising £20 million in new finance.

The group plans on expanding its presence in Brazil, South Korea, Japan and Russia off the back of financial support from existing investors Gimv, Elaia, Partech and BPI.

Half of this investment comes from an increase in capital, while the remaining share is represented by a mid-term line of credit, supplied by banks including HSBC and BNPP. 

Teads is focused on connecting advertisers with premium video advertising inventory across its ever-expanding bank of publishers. Last year saw the company reported estimated revenue of £63.5 million in a 65% rise on earnings from 2013. 

Growth plans 

Publishers across 40 countries including the UK’s very own Telegraph and Guardian use the company’s premium video ad formats to monetise their on-site content. These are delivered via a supply-side platform which allows ads to be placed at the heart of editorial pieces, but through ‘non-intrusive’ formats.

Rather than playing automatically like conventional in-stream ads, “out-stream” video ads delivered by Teads do not affect the experience of a user, who can skip past the advertorial at any given time. 

As well as helping Teads bring this technology out to growing markets, some of the new investment will be pledged towards developing the company’s core video ad product in one of its strongest areas – the US. 

Money will also go towards building upon the company’s growing staff roster, which comprises 350 employees positioned across 25 offices worldwide. 

This is set to increase in 2015 as Teads goes about finding an additional 180 workers to support its operations globally. 

Changing face

As well as seeing a change in fortunes, Teads as a brand has also been subject to alterations in recent months.

The company had been operating temporarily under the moniker of Ebuzzing & Teads up until October of last year, when the former title was dropped. Ebuzzing once stood as a video ad solutions provider in its own right, but was subject to a merger with Teads in March 2014. 

Investors connected to the Teads brand have been told to expect a big 2015 as the group prepares for an IPO on the NASDAQ stock exchange.