A new visualisation created by ad tech company AppNexus approximates where various leading players in the sector are in the race to a single solution for display advertising.

The infographic below depicts where forerunning ad tech companies lie in terms of marketplace activity and capabilities, many of which have been gained through acquisition.  

Yahoo appears to have properties across a number of different categories, whereas companies like MediaMath are happy with being specialists in just a handful of areas.

In the last year or so, an array of mergers and acquisitions have kick-started the ad tech power game, says AppNexus’s EMEA VP of strategic development, Nigel Gilbert.

“If we look at the type of companies most likely to survive this transitioning period, I believe that only a small number of single-platform companies, who will genuinely be able to provide ‘end-to-end’ technology for both publishers and advertisers will break through,” he comments.

However, he adds that this doesn’t mean that there won’t be space for ‘point-solution’ providers building technology products that address the needs of only one specific part of the advertising ecosystem.

By consulting with the table below, you can get a feel for who Nigel’s referring to (click to expand).