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Key people at ironSource.
ironSource is a Tel Aviv, Israel-based technology company providing a platform for mobile app developers to distribute, monetize, and grow their applications. Through ad networks and user acquisition technology, it helps developers connect with 2.3 billion monthly active users, especially in mobile gaming and digital apps. The company reported $332 million in revenue in 2020. ironSource went public via a SPAC merger in June 2021, achieving an $11 billion valuation with a $2.3 billion investment from Thoma Bravo, Morgan Stanley, and Wellington. Founded in 2010 by Tomer Bar-Zeev, Itay, Roi, and Eyal Milrad, it raised over $100 million in 2015 and secured further investments from CVC Capital Partners and Haim Saban. Its business model centers on monetizes through software products for app distribution, advertising, and user engagement, generating revenue from services like video ad networks and SDK integrations, went public via SPAC merger in 2021.
Key people at ironSource.
ironSource is an Israeli software company founded in 2010 that builds a comprehensive platform for mobile app developers, primarily in gaming, to monetize apps, acquire users, and analyze performance.[1][2] It offers tools like ad mediation, in-app bidding, cross-promotion, creative management, and analytics, supporting ad formats such as rewarded video, interstitials, banners, native ads, and offerwalls to maximize revenue while enhancing user engagement.[1][2][4] Serving app developers and publishers worldwide, ironSource solves key challenges in the app economy by closing the loop between monetization and user acquisition, enabling scalable growth—evidenced by its acquisition by Unity in November 2022 for $4.4 billion, integrating it into a major game engine ecosystem.[1]
ironSource was founded in 2010 in Tel Aviv, Israel, by a team focused on app monetization and distribution technologies amid the rising mobile app boom.[1][2] Emerging from Israel's "Download Valley," it quickly expanded through strategic acquisitions: in 2013, it bought AfterDownload Ltd. for $28 million to bolster distribution tools; in 2014, it raised $85 million and acquired mobile game studio Upopa; and in 2015, it merged with Supersonic for ~$200 million, rebranding its mobile operations.[2] Pivotal moments included launching Supersonic Studios in 2020, which hit top mobile charts with games garnering 35 million downloads shortly after, and acquiring Soomla in 2021 for ad quality measurement—culminating in its 2022 Unity acquisition, marking a shift from independent innovator to part of a global gaming powerhouse.[1][2]
ironSource stands out in mobile ad tech through integrated, developer-friendly tools that optimize the full app growth cycle:
ironSource rides the explosive growth of the mobile gaming and app economy, where in-app ads generate billions amid rising user acquisition costs and fragmented monetization.[1][3] Its timing capitalized on the 2010s smartphone surge and ad tech maturation, positioning it as a key enabler for indie developers in Israel's tech hub to compete globally—evident in its "Download Valley" roots and Unity integration, which amplifies Unity's 70%+ market share in mobile game engines.[2][1] Market forces like privacy changes (e.g., IDFA limits) and in-app bidding trends favor its mediation tech, while it influences the ecosystem by standardizing ROAS tools, boosting developer retention, and fueling hits like Supersonic's top-chart games.[2][4]
Post-Unity acquisition, ironSource evolves as the monetization backbone of Unity LevelPlay, prioritizing AI-driven optimization and emerging formats amid a $100B+ mobile ad market.[1][5] Trends like hyper-casual gaming shifts, Web3 integrations, and privacy-first attribution will shape it, potentially expanding to non-gaming apps. Its influence grows by empowering more developers to achieve viral scale, tying back to its origins as a Tel Aviv disruptor now fueling global app success.
