Few IT departments want to build their own adtech, which leaves the field open for companies like Vistar Media, a specialist in digital out of home programmatic ad buying, selling, and network management. They just raised a $30 million Series B. Funds came from outdoor ad seller Lamar Advertising, which will gain a minority stake in Vistar.
Greater focus on customer experience creates greater need for unified customer data, which leads IT managers to consider building their own customer data systems. This attracts data pipeline vendors like Airbyte, which just released an open-source data integration platform including a “connector development kit”. The company raised a $5 million seed round in March and $26 million Series A in May and says it’s on a “mission to commoditize all data integration”.
A new 36-state plus DC suit filed against Google in California continues the antitrust fight against Big Tech, despite a DC court’s recent Facebook suit dismissal. This challenges Google’s plan to force app developers who use Google Play Store to pay a high commission on sales. It also follows two other multi-state suits filed last October and December against Google.
Salesforce has reversed course on its bid to acquire data management and integration platform Informatica a source has told Reuters. Informatica itself said that it is not in talks to be acquired. Salesforce stocks rose on this latest news while Informatica’s fell.