Opera Completes Acquisition of AdColony

Opera announced today that it has completed its purchase of mobile video advertising platform AdColony. The deal was announced in June and first reported by The Wall Street Journal’s CMO Today.

The acquisition of AdColony, which specializes in delivering TV-like HD mobile video uninhibited by latency and slow load times, will increase the reach of Opera’s mobile ad subsidiary, Opera Mediaworks, to more than 700 million global consumers. Will Kassoy, CEO of AdColony, will continue to run day-to-day operations at AdColony in addition to taking on a new role as CMO of Opera Mediaworks.

This acquisition under the Opera Mediaworks umbrella is aimed at strengthening Opera’s mobile advertising offerings to publishers and advertisers around the world. The addition of AdColony will enable Opera to deliver the highest-quality mobile video advertising experience on smartphones and tablets.

“Opera is a natural fit for us and helps us accelerate our vision to extend the reach of our TV-like experience to a global stage,” says Kassoy. “Its commitment to quality, innovation and the consumer experience is very synchronous with our company vision and culture. Together, we will be able to deliver great innovation and market growth for our customers worldwide.”

“Video has historically been one of the more challenging aspects of mobile advertising, yet it’s also the most engaging ad format we can provide,” added Mahi de Silva, CEO, Opera Mediaworks. “Having AdColony as part of our service portfolio gives us an enormous advantage over other networks and platforms — without the compromised quality and speed that so often accompany mobile video ads.”

Not only will AdColony’s technology and expertise in the mobile video business be integrated into Opera’s mobile ad business, including its programmatic offerings, but the team will also work to consolidate its mobile video technology across Opera’s consumer and operator products.

Full details of the transaction can be found in the Oslo Stock Exchange press release distributed with the June acquisition announcement here.

About Opera Software ASA

Opera Software crafts products and services that connect 350 million people to the internet. More than 130 operators around the world choose to work with us to give their customers the best web experience. Our mobile advertising platform enables publishers to monetize their content and allows brands to reach a global audience of more than 500 million consumers. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

About Opera Mediaworks

Opera Mediaworks powers the mobile ad economy through technology innovation, transparency and trust, to create vibrant marketplaces for publishers and advertisers across the globe. This enables advertisers to efficiently reach their target audience and publishers to improve their monetization. Opera Mediaworks operates the world’s biggest brand-focused mobile ad network, serving 23 of the 25 top global brands. We also deliver the world’s leading mobile ad server and monetization tools to 18 of the top 25 media companies worldwide. Our mission is to deliver relevance in the medium where it matters most—on mobile devices.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Opera Mediaworks has offices in New York, United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and Norway. Learn more about Opera Mediaworks at www.operamediaworks.com.

About AdColony

AdColony is a mobile video advertising company whose proprietary Instant-Play™ technology serves razor sharp, full-screen video ads instantly in HD across its extensive network of iOS and Android apps, eliminating the biggest pain points in mobile video advertising: long load times and grainy, choppy video. As a leading mobile video advertising and monetization platform, AdColony works with both Fortune 500 brands and the world’s top grossing publishers. The company’s reach, targeting and optimization tools and services provide advertisers with a superior way to engage mobile audiences at scale. AdColony’s app developer tools and services provide publishing partners with ways to maximize monetization while gaining insight needed to continuously optimize content and advertising offerings. AdColony is a privately-held company backed by Insight Venture Partners and has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Detroit, New York and London. To learn more about AdColony, visit www.adcolony.com.