Optimal, Inc.
Optimal, Inc. or OptimalSocial, is a social media advertising technology company that was acquired by Brand Networks in October 2013 for $35 million.[1][2]
According to the Facebook Marketing Partner Website, Facebook awarded Optimal the Grand Prize for innovation in its Facebook Preferred Marketing Developer Innovation contest on October 9, 2013 from among over 60 companies entering.[3]
Optimal[4] was founded in 2008 by Rob Leathern and David Li, with Atul Patel as a founding board member, and had raised $5.1 million in equity and $2.5 million in debt before its acquisition. Its investors included Michael Walrath and WGI Group. .
Optimal, Inc. changed its name from XA.net, Inc. in 2012 at the same time that it named Mike Greenfield to its advisory board.[5][6] XA.net, Inc. was previously named one of the top 10 fastest-growing private companies in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2011 by the San Francisco Business Times.[7] The other 9 of the top 10 companies in the San Francisco Business Times Fast 100 in 2011 were Nest Collective, Stella & Dot, Spigit, Bizo, Bay Equity, Marketo, TubeMogul, Advantis Global Services and Covermate Food Covers.
References
- "Social Ad Companies Team Up As Brand Networks Acquires Optimal For $35M". TechCrunch. 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
- "Brand Networks Buys Optimal For $35 Million". AdExchanger. 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
- "Winners of PMD Innovation Competition Build new Direct Response Tools". Facebook. 2013-10-09. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- "Optimal | CrunchBase Profile". Crunchbase. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
- "XA.net changes company name to Optimal, Adds former LinkedIn Senior Scientist to Advisory Board". MarketWire. 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- "XA.net, Inc". InsideView. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- "San Francisco Business Times Calls for Nominations for Bay Area's Fastest-Growing Private Companies". BusinessWire. 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2013-12-07.