Parisian display ad startup Sublime Skinz has secured a $5 million investment from Isai – the French web entrepreneurs’ fund.
Isai and its partners aim to invest venture and growth capital in ‘original and outstanding’ companies, enlisting the aid of investors from the likes of Google, Criteo and Kelkoo.
Sublime Skinz, which specialises in skin-based ad formats, will be investing the windfall into its ‘technological roadmap’ and international development, planning to add to its Paris, London and San Francisco offices with a fourth base in New York.
Company founder and president Jean-Marc Pericone spoke of the startup’s patience in waiting for “the right moment and the right partner” in Isai, the support of which he described as being “steadfast” since the company’s inception in 2012.
Next stage
Sublime Skinz reported three-digit growth in its annual turnover, and campaigns with over 300 brands and 50 agencies in 2014. Much of this has been owed to a ‘synthesis’ of direct and programmatic advertising with the integration of ad platforms including Google DBM, MediaMath, AppNexus and Turn.
It’s this rapid growth that caught the eye of investors, according to the Isai’s managing partner in charge of the growth equity fund, Pierre Martini.
“We are delighted to support Sublime Skinz in their next stage of development. We have been impressed by the company’s level of growth, which demonstrates the natural appeal of this universal ad format.
“Our investment will help the company to deploy its product worldwide, as well as develop its native mobile and DMP offerings.”
The investment by Isai is an example of France becoming an increasingly attractive prospect for ad tech startups, with a growing number of both governmental incentives and associations backing projects with international ambitions.