Shorooq Partners Announces Investment in Ad-Shield: Revolutionizing Adblock Recovery
We are thrilled to announce Shorooq Partners’ foray into the world of ad tech with our latest investment in Ad-Shield. This innovative company specializes in adblock recovery solutions and has recently completed a $2 million pre-Series A funding round. Shorooq Partners led this investment, with significant contributions from existing investors Bass Investment and Hashed, as well as key industry angels. This investment marks a significant milestone as our first lead investment in a Korean startup, underscoring our commitment to supporting groundbreaking technologies worldwide and specifically bridging Asia and the MENA region.
Founded in 2019, Ad-Shield has developed a pioneering solution to one of the most significant challenges in digital advertising: the recovery of ad impressions lost to adblockers. After over three years of rigorous research and development, Ad-Shield unveiled their product in 2023, offering a unique approach that respects user experience while enabling publishers to reclaim their lost revenue.
Dustin Cha, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Ad-Shield, highlights existing adblocking usage as a contradiction. It limits user experience on the web while undermining publishers’ primary revenue stream. It is estimated that over 30% of internet users globally now employ some form of adblocking services, posing a severe threat to the publishing industry and sparking debate over the ethics of adblocking and the sustainability of free online content. This situation has been particularly challenging for publishers dependent on targeted advertising for both revenue and customer learning. Ad-Shield addresses this dilemma with innovative technology that offers a compromise: minimal and non-disruptive ads that respect user preferences while ensuring publishers can deliver and monetize their content effectively.
Ad-Shield’s technology has proven its worth, boasting a 90%+ adblock recovery rate, significantly outperforming other solutions in the market, which typically see recovery rates of only 15-20%. This capability has allowed Ad-Shield to quickly onboard multiple publishers worldwide, handling over one billion requests monthly. Since its launch, the company has experienced a growth rate of over 30% each month, a trend expected to accelerate further.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expanding the use of Ad-Shield’s product across their portfolio websites. This customer satisfaction serves as a testament to the quality and effectiveness of their service as well as the seamlessness of the end-user satisfaction, fueling our confidence in Ad-Shield’s potential to revolutionize the ad tech landscape.
Shorooq Partners’ investment in Ad-Shield not only underscores our belief in their potential but also reflects our commitment to expanding our global portfolio. With their entry into the U.S. market, we are just at the beginning of supporting Ad-Shield’s global expansion. The recent funding will facilitate team growth and accelerate market expansion of their product, emphasizing our dedication to Ad-Shield’s global reach and their novel approach to engaging adblock traffic.
Shane Shin, Founding Partner at Shorooq Partners, states: “We believe in the mission of Ad-Shield and view the company as a disruptor in the industry. Their innovative technology not only addresses the current challenges posed by adblockers but also aligns with our vision of creating value for publishers, advertisers, and consumers worldwide.”
As we embark on this journey with Ad-Shield, we are excited about the positive impact their technology will have on the industry. Ad-Shield’s approach promises a healthier web ecosystem for all stakeholders, and together, we aim to establish a new market that benefits digital publishers, advertisers, and consumers alike.
Stay tuned for more updates on Ad-Shield's innovative solutions and the progress of our partnership.
