LAKEVILLE, CT — Many had expected a rebound. LUMA Partners’ Q2 2023 market report may show a 35% dip in deal volume, quarter-on-quarter – but we are seeing ad-tech M&A nonetheless.
Deals include Samba TV buying Disruptel, Criteo acquiring Brandcrunch and Kargo buying VideoByte.
For Sean Buckley, Chief Revenue Officer, Magnite, consolidation means maturity.
Maturing market
“We are seeing the industry hitting a point of maturity, which naturally happens where you see consolidation among the larger scale players,” says Buckley.
“That’s particularly true among the anchor tenants in our space – the major demand side and supply side technologies.”
A key factor driving this consolidation is the theme around supply path optimization, a trend that has been gaining momentum over the past four to five years.
“We’ve seen more activity against that in the last 12 to 18 months than we ever have in the past,” Buckley notes. “Buyers are getting really serious about narrowing down their technology partners and forging much deeper relationships with a smaller set of strategic partners.”
Economic Environment and Its Impact
The current economic climate is another critical factor influencing the market dynamics, with some players, unfortunately, feeling the brunt more than others.
MediaMath filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“We’ve entered at a more difficult economic environment that I also think is unfortunately taking its toll on some of the players in the space,” Buckley remarks, underlining the industry’s need to adapt and evolve amidst these changing circumstances.
Looking Forward to The Beet Retreat
Buckley was speaking in the Berkshires ahead of Beet Retreat Berkshires 2023, a gathering of high-level media executives, will take place in the southern Berkshires town of Salisbury, Connecticut.
Buckley is excited about the discussions and potential outcomes of the event.
“I can’t wait to have what is undoubtedly a fantastic group together here in the Berkshires to discuss the industry’s most pressing needs,” he says, underlining the importance of such gatherings in the rapidly evolving ad-tech landscape.
