The Trade Desk is a technology company.
The Trade Desk has raised $23.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at The Trade Desk.
The Trade Desk has raised $23.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
The Trade Desk is a leading technology company that provides a self-service, cloud-based demand-side platform (DSP) for ad buyers, enabling them to create, manage, and optimize programmatic digital advertising campaigns across channels like display, video, audio, native, social, and Connected TV (CTV).[2][3][5] It serves global brands, agencies, trading desks, and marketers by solving the challenges of fragmented media buying through data-driven tools that deliver insightful, relevant ad experiences with high transparency, accuracy, and reach on the open internet.[1][2][5] The platform's growth is strong, with Q1 2025 revenue up 25% year-over-year to $616 million, over 3,500 employees worldwide, and a client retention rate exceeding 95% for 11 years.[1][5]
Its mission is to transform media for humankind by empowering ad buyers with advanced technology for superior campaign performance, fostering a healthier advertising ecosystem that supports quality journalism and premium content.[1][2][5][7]
The Trade Desk was founded in 2009 by Jeff Green and Dave Pickles, who recognized the need for an independent, transparent platform in the emerging programmatic advertising space.[3] Green, with prior experience at agencies and ad tech firms, sought to create a buyer-centric alternative to walled gardens and biased supply-side tools, starting as a self-service DSP focused on real-time bidding (RTB).[3][8] Early traction came from agencies and brands adopting its cloud-based tools for omnichannel campaigns, evolving into a global leader with Enterprise APIs, data management, and publisher tools; pivotal moments include consistent high retention and awards like Best Marketing Technology Solution.[2][5]
The Trade Desk rides the wave of programmatic advertising's dominance, fueled by the shift to CTV, audio, and the open internet amid privacy changes and cookie deprecation, timing its growth as brands seek alternatives to Big Tech platforms.[1][3][5] Market forces like rising demand for first-party data, precise targeting, and transparent measurement favor its buyer-empowering model, which counters ecosystem fragmentation by partnering with data providers and publishers to boost reach and support premium content.[2][5] It influences the ecosystem by advocating for competition, innovation, and a healthier ad industry, setting standards for accuracy that benefit advertisers and consumers alike.[1][3]
The Trade Desk is poised to solidify its leadership in independent DSPs, expanding in high-growth areas like CTV and AI-driven personalization amid accelerating programmatic adoption.[1][5] Trends like data privacy regulations and open web momentum will amplify its transparent, data-centric edge, potentially driving further revenue acceleration beyond 25% YoY growth. Its influence may evolve by deepening ecosystem partnerships and tools for emerging formats, reinforcing its role as the default for sophisticated buyers and transforming media on a global scale—echoing its founding mission to benefit humankind through superior advertising.[1][3][5]
Key people at The Trade Desk.
The Trade Desk has raised $23.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
The Trade Desk's investors include Bonfire Ventures, Episode 1 Ventures, Insight Partners, Miramar Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Crossover, Founder Collective, Neu Venture Capital.
The Trade Desk has raised $23.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $20.0M Series B in February 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2014 | $20.0M Series B | Bonfire Ventures, Episode 1 Ventures, Insight Partners, Miramar Ventures, Scale Venture Partners | |
| Mar 1, 2010 | $3.0M Seed | Crossover, Episode 1 Ventures, Founder Collective, Insight Partners, Neu Venture Capital, Scale Venture Partners |
