CTV Budgets Shift to Performance Platforms
Keynes, an Austin-based audience-first Connected TV (CTV) advertising platform, has raised $40M in growth financing led by Volition Capital. The company leverages AI for precise targeting, high-touch services, and One View reporting to measure campaign lift and cross-channel halo effects. The capital will fuel tech innovation, advanced data measurement, and hiring.
Advertiser Spend Ramps 17% in 2026
The round arrives as 70% of CTV advertisers plan to increase spending by an average 17% in 2026. MNTN raised $119M Series D in 2022 for its CTV platform, while tvScientific was acquired by Pinterest in December 2025. Keynes targets medium-to-enterprise brands with performance focus amid fragmented tracking challenges.
Fragmented Landscape Muddies Measurement
Ad dollars shift to CTV, but fragmented signals hinder attribution in this non-clickable channel. Traditional digital tracking falters as streaming fragments audiences across platforms. Brands struggle to prove incremental lift beyond impressions.
AI Optimization Delivers Cross-Channel Lift
Keynes' One View dashboard unifies CTV metrics, attention scores, and halo effects on channels like paid search. Case studies show 12.8x iROAS for Net32, with 86% of exposed revenue incremental, and 23% lift for Zenni Optical. The platform's AI enables relentless campaign tweaks and transparent raw data sharing.
As Dan Larkman, CEO and founder, stated:
"This partnership gives us the resources to move faster without compromising the principles."
High-Touch Service Scales Mid-Market Wins
Unlike pure DSPs, Keynes pairs programmatic buying with dedicated support for health, beauty, and retail brands. Clients like NEST New York saw 64% more users and 91% revenue growth from CTV halo. Attention scores reach 8.5 via advanced reporting.
Growth Capital Signals Execution Bet
Volition Capital provided minority growth equity, with partner Jim Ferry joining the board. The firm targets high-growth founder-led tech, citing Keynes' disciplined execution and client retention since its 2018 bootstrap.
As Jim Ferry noted:
"Connected TV is rapidly evolving from a brand-only channel into a measurable performance medium. Keynes has built a differentiated platform… impressed by the company’s disciplined execution, strong client retention."
CTV Market Hits $38B Milestone
The CTV ad market stands at $37.95B in 2026, growing 14.5% YoY to $52.53B by 2029. Performance platforms like Keynes address measurement gaps as budgets prioritize ROI over reach.
Bootstrapped Founder Fuels Expansion
Dan Larkman bootstrapped Keynes since 2018, landing Inc. 5000 recognition in 2023. Recent CMO hire TJ Hunter brings 10+ years in ad tech and SaaS to drive global marketing and demand gen.
Shoptalk Presence Accelerates Momentum
Post-funding, Keynes dominates events like Shoptalk with activations and MediaMeets. Plans target tech upgrades, measurement advances, and team growth to capture rising CTV budgets.