Rubicon Project Adds Header Bidding Tools With RTK.io Acquisition

With the all-cash transaction, Rubicon Project now has a set of header bidding tools built on the open-source Prebid standard, which it helped co-found along with AppNexus, that will help simplify ad sales for publishers, according to the company.

The purchase of RTK.io also builds on Rubicon Project’s introduction of a similar header bidding toolset called Demand Manager earlier in the year, a launch that CEO Michael Barrett said had generated a “phenomenal response” from publishers.

“The company has a strong group of header bidding experts and Prebid developers that adds depth to our already great team,” Barrett said in a statement announcing the purchase. “Together, we will accelerate our shared vision of helping publishers regain control of their monetization and make quick, informed decisions to grow their businesses.”

Rubicon Project’s leadership is betting that its enhanced wares in header bidding—a means of auctioning media inventory that has caused much disruption in recent years—will help differentiate its offering as buy-side platforms downsize the number of ad-tech partners they work with.

“It’s become clear that solving these challenges are of central importance if programmatic is to continue to work for sellers,” Barrett earlier told Adweek.