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§ Private Profile · 594 Broadway Suite 207 New York, NY 10012 United States
An advertising technology company that developed native and rewarded ad platforms for social media and mobile apps, serving brands and agencies.
Appssavvy has raised $10.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Appssavvy.
Appssavvy was founded in 2008 by Chris Cunningham (Founder and CEO).
Appssavvy has raised $10.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Appssavvy was a New York City-based advertising technology company that specialized in delivering native and rewarded advertising solutions for social media platforms and mobile applications. The enterprise operated a business-to-business network allowing consumer brands to target users based on real-time in-app activities, compensating audiences with virtual goods for their engagement. During its operational lifespan, the organization scaled to a peak headcount of 60 employees and secured $10.1 million in total venture capital funding across multiple financing rounds. The company received financial backing from institutional investors including True Ventures and The Washington Post Company, while establishing strategic publishing partnerships with developers like Zynga. Following the launch of a proprietary ad delivery platform, the firm restructured to pivot toward mobile advertising before ultimately ceasing operations. Appssavvy was founded in 2008 by Chris Cunningham and Michael Glantz.
Key people at Appssavvy.
Appssavvy was founded in 2008 by Chris Cunningham (Founder and CEO).
Appssavvy has raised $10.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Appssavvy's investors include Accel, Bowery Capital, Carbide Ventures, DAG Ventures, Index Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, Jason Stomel, Howard Lindzon, Scott Kurnit, AOL Ventures, The New York Times Company, Tony Conrad.
Appssavvy has raised $10.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $7.0M Series A in December 2011.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2011 | $7M Series A | — | Accel, Bowery Capital, Carbide Ventures, DAG Ventures, Index Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, Jason Stomel, Howard Lindzon, Scott Kurnit, AOL Ventures, The NEW York Times Company, Tony Conrad | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2008 | $3M Series A | True Ventures | Scott Kurnit | Announced |
Appssavvy is an activity advertising technology company that pioneered a new model for interactive ads, focusing on user engagement in social media and mobile environments. Co-founded by Chris Cunningham as CEO, it bridged the gap between brands (like Fortune 500 companies) and social media startups, enabling effective advertising strategies. The company generated $40 million in revenue within three years by launching with a clear focus on social media advertising, growing to over 40 employees across four U.S. offices, and earning recognition as a top workplace in NYC from Crain’s New York Business in 2009-2011[1][2].
Its core product, adtivity by appssavvy, is an advertising platform emphasizing interactive "activity advertising" over traditional passive ads, serving brands seeking to engage users on engaged platforms like Facebook and mobile apps. It solves the problem of ineffective advertising in interactive web experiences by prioritizing user-centric innovation, shifting from sales/marketing services to a technology-driven organization[1].
Appssavvy emerged around 2009-2010 amid the rise of social media platforms like Facebook, which transformed the web from passive to interactive. Founders, including CEO Chris Cunningham (named by Business Insider in 2012 as one of the "Most Important People in Mobile Advertising" and a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year), spotted a key gap: brands like Procter & Gamble struggled to connect with social media companies in Palo Alto, while startups lacked know-how for Fortune 500 partnerships. Their tagline, "Bridging the gap between Palo Alto and Madison Avenue," captured this mission. Early traction came from a laser-focused launch on social media strategies, securing revenue from day one via partnerships and team-building, hitting $40 million in three years[1][2].
Cunningham co-chaired the IAB Social Media Committee in 2010-2011, leveraging his expertise to build momentum. The idea for "adtivity" stemmed from advertising's lack of creativity and user focus, accelerated by social and mobile shifts[1].
Appssavvy rode the early 2010s explosion of social media and mobile engagement, where consumers shifted time to interactive platforms like Facebook, creating demand for non-intrusive advertising. Timing was ideal: post-2008 social platform launches exposed brands' inability to adapt, positioning Appssavvy as a vital intermediary in a fragmented ecosystem of Palo Alto innovators and Madison Avenue spenders[1][2]. Market forces like rising mobile ad spend and user demand for engaging content favored its model, influencing the ecosystem by normalizing activity-based ads and accelerating brand-startup collaborations, which shaped modern social advertising standards[1][5].
Appssavvy's early success demonstrated how niche focus and tech pivots can capture explosive trends, but its prominence appears tied to the 2010s social/mobile boom with limited recent visibility. Next steps likely involve scaling the adtivity platform amid evolving privacy regulations and AI-driven personalization, potentially expanding to Web3 or metaverse interactions. Trends like cookieless targeting and interactive video ads will shape its path, evolving its influence from pioneer to enduring player if it adapts its user-first philosophy—echoing its founding vision of transforming passive ads into engaging experiences[1].
