FreeWheel

Comcast-owned ad-serving and monetization platform for premium video — described by AdExchanger in 2019 as the 'broadcast ad serving incumbent' — that added buy-side technology through its 2020 Beeswax acquisition.

FreeWheel provides ad-serving and monetization technology that TV networks, media companies and other premium-video publishers use to serve and sell ads in their online and streaming video.^1,2,3,4,5 It was founded in 2007 by Doug Knopper, Jon Heller and Diane Yu.^4,6,7 Comcast acquired FreeWheel in March 2014 for a reported $360–375 million.^1,4,6 In November 2018 Disney moved its digital ad serving from FreeWheel to Google Ad Manager.^8,9,10 In December 2020 FreeWheel agreed to acquire Beeswax, adding buy-side buying technology to its publisher-focused platform.^11,12,13,14 Source 1: rbr.com — Comcast completes FreeWheel buy Source 2: techcrunch.com — Comcast to buy FreeWheel Source 3: streamingmedia.com — Comcast to acquire FreeWheel Source 4: nexttv.com — Comcast wraps FreeWheel deal Source 5: en.wikipedia.org — Comcast Advertising — Wikipedia Source 6: videonuze.com — Comcast has acquired FreeWheel for $375 million cash Source 7: clickz.com — Former DoubleClick execs launch video ad rights management firm Source 8: adexchanger.com — Disney drops FreeWheel in favor of Google Ad Manager Source 9: marketingdive.com — Disney partners with Google for cross-channel video advertising Source 10: stateofthescreens.com — Disney consolidates ad serving with Google Source 11: adexchanger.com — FreeWheel buys Beeswax Source 12: beet.tv — FreeWheel buying Beeswax to boost ad demand Source 13: videoweek.com — FreeWheel has acquired Beeswax Source 14: globalventuring.com — FreeWheel minds Beeswax