Jun 19, 2018

September 07, 2004 08:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time NEW YORK--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Sept. 7, 2004--   Company Closes One of the Largest Rounds of Private Equity in the Online Advertising Market in 2004   Poindexter Systems, Inc., a leading provider of next-generation ad serving and optimization technologies that enable marketers to maximize the performance and profitability of their online advertising campaigns, today announced it has secured an $8 million round of funding led by new investors Blue Chip Venture Company (BCVC) and WallerSutton 2000, LP ("WallerSutton"). Existing investors Hudson Ventures and Echelon Ventures also participated in the round. This financing will allow Poindexter to further accelerate revenue and customer growth in their core markets, as well as expand into untapped sectors of the online advertising market. "In speaking with existing Poindexter customers, it was immediately apparent that the company has delivered to market a suite of products that dramatically improves the accuracy and effectiveness of online campaigns for enterprise customers and publishers," said Mark Wright, director at Blue Chip Venture Company and the leader of Blue Chip's marketing and media technology practice. "We were impressed by Poindexter's ability to quickly respond to the needs of advertisers and agencies for more sophisticated analysis and targeting of online audiences. Additionally, the management team has a proven ability to execute in rapidly growing markets, which positions the company for great success." With online advertising expected to reach $8.4 billion in 2004, a 27% increase over 2003 according to Jupiter Research, Poindexter is well positioned to seize substantial market share. Poindexter will use the funds to further expand its product development efforts on the Poindexter POE offering, increase its US sales force, and launch highly targeted sales initiatives in several new market segments where the demand for increased online advertising is growing rapidly. "WallerSutton seeks out only the most compelling marketing and media investments," said Bill Ingram, a founding partner of WallerSutton. "Poindexter's amazing growth is a testament to its ability to anticipate the evolving needs of online marketers and build the capability to meet these needs. We are confident that they will continue to emerge as the clear leader in this growing space." As part of this round of funding, both Mr. Wright and Mr. Ingram will join Poindexter's Board of Directors. Poindexter's POE suite, the industry's first real-time statistical modeling platform, is composed of the Media Optimization(TM), Creative Optimization(TM) and Brand Optimization(TM) suite of products. POE uses traditional direct marketing principles and techniques such as clustering and predictive modeling to determine the most responsive audience for an advertiser and the most appropriate message for each member of that audience. "The confidence of our new and existing investors demonstrates Poindexter's momentum with customers and partners. With recent customer additions such as T-Mobile, Delta Song and Eddie Bauer, it is clear that Poindexter is rapidly becoming the solution of choice in helping to maximize online advertising campaigns," said Rich Person, president and CEO of Poindexter. "With investment firms behind us such as WallerSutton, BCVC, Hudson Ventures and Echelon Venture, we are confident that they will play an instrumental role in our continued growth and success." About Blue Chip Venture Company Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH with an office in Stamford, CT, Blue Chip has over $600 million in capital under management. One major area of investment practice is in the area of media and marketing technology. The mission of this practice is to identify the best next stage media and marketing technology early stage companies and ensure that these companies have sufficient capital, sufficient "been there" advice and sufficient industry connections to define and dominate their respective niches. About WallerSutton WallerSutton 2000, LP ("WallerSutton") is a $165 million private equity fund focused on the media and communications industries. WallerSutton seeks to leverage its broad array of relationships - in cable television, broadcasting, publishing, outdoor media, new media, information technology, and other communications and technology businesses and services - to support the growth and management of its portfolio companies. For more information, please visit www.wallersutton.com . About Echelon Ventures Echelon Ventures seeks to maximize shareholder value by investing $1-5 million in credible, experienced management teams who are building a New England-based company that has developed and demonstrated proof of concept of a proprietary enabling technology. For more information, please visit www.echelonventures.com . About Hudson Ventures Hudson Ventures is a $180 million venture fund that has invested in over 50 early stage technology companies since 1996. With a strong focus on enterprise software companies serving the financial services and online advertising and marketing industries, Hudson works closely with its management teams to facilitate rapid growth. For more information, please visit www.hudsonventures.com . About Poindexter Systems Poindexter Systems, Inc. is the leading provider of performance optimization technologies that enable direct marketers to maximize the performance and profitability of their online marketing efforts. The company's Progressive Optimization Engine(TM) (POE) is the industry's first real-time statistical modeling platform that uses clustering and predictive modeling to identify audience viewing behavior and automatically deliver the right message to maximize response through any digital channel. Using Poindexter's flagship POE(TM) Optimization Suite, companies such as America Online, American Express, Continental Airlines, and T-Mobile have significantly enhanced the accuracy and effectiveness of their online advertising initiatives, maximizing their budget efficiency and customer response. For more information, call (212) 741-4222 or visit our visit Web site at www.poindextersystems.com .