inPowered AI Raises $5M from AdTech Veterans to Accelerate Sell-Side AI Decisioning
Architects of Programmatic from Google, Mediaocean, MoPub, and Beeswax Unite Behind inPowered AI, Betting on the Next Evolution – On-Exchange Intelligence
As AI reshapes the future of digital advertising, inPowered AI, the leading sell-side AI decisioning company, announced it has raised $5 million in strategic funding to bring real-time, outcome-based intelligence directly to where digital auctions happen – the sell side.
The round is backed by adtech pioneers Gokul Rajaram (Investor & Product Leader, ex-Facebook Ads & Google), Bill Wise (Co-Founder & CEO, Mediaocean), Jim Payne (Co-Founder, MoPub), and Ari Paparo (Co-Founder, Beeswax) – the very leaders who helped build the foundations of modern programmatic advertising. Their collective investment marks a powerful signal that the next era of adtech innovation will be driven by AI decisioning on the exchange itself.
“AI is Transforming the entire digital advertising ecosystem,” said Gokul Rajaram, Investor & Product Leader (ex-Facebook Ads & Google). “It’s unlocking new levels of intelligence, speed, and creativity in how we drive outcomes. inPowered AI embodies the kind of breakthrough innovation that’s redefining what’s possible.”
“For too long, advertisers have been forced to optimize toward proxy metrics like viewability or CTR instead of real business outcomes,” said Peyman Nilforoush, Co-Founder and CEO of inPowered AI. “By moving decisioning intelligence directly onto the exchange, we’re closing that gap – enabling brands to optimize for what truly matters.”
“When you see the kind of performance inPowered AI delivers, it’s clear why this is resonating within the marketplace,” added Bill Wise, Co-Founder & CEO of Mediaocean. “They’re proving that when AI operates at the source of the auction, it can drive outcomes that simply weren’t possible before.”
inPowered AI’s platform enables agencies, brands, and media companies to deliver stronger results through Private Marketplace (PMP) deals powered by real-time AI decisioning. By operating directly within the exchange, its models analyze contextual relevance, impression history, bid dynamics, and publisher metadata – driving measurable outcomes at the speed of the auction.
The funding builds on growing market adoption of on-exchange AI, positioning inPowered AI to redefine how value is created across the open web – aligning publisher yield and advertiser outcomes through a single, intelligent system.
About inPowered AI
inPowered AI is the leading sell-side AI decisioning platform. The company’s AI models run directly on the exchange, enabling agencies and brands to deliver better outcomes through real-time, impression-level decisioning. The company is backed by strategic investors and industry operators and is at the forefront of enabling intelligence on the sell-side. To learn more, visit: www.inpowered.ai or follow us on LinkedIn.