What Stardust does

Stardust operates an AI-powered mobile app advertising platform that automates user acquisition campaigns across iOS and Android for app and game developers. The core product is an optimization engine that connects to customer apps via leading mobile measurement partners (Appsflyer, Adjust, Tenjin, Singular), ingests campaign performance data, and autonomously manages targeting, bidding, and budget allocation against customer-defined KPIs including installs, purchases, retention, ROAS, and custom actions. The platform claims the ability to scale from thousands to millions of installs in days and to launch campaigns within 48 hours of onboarding, with a dedicated account manager layer overseeing AI-driven operations.

The company monetizes on a usage-based pay-per-install model with a $500 USD per day minimum ad spend and no platform or setup fees. Distribution is product-led through an invite-only beta accessible via stardust.gg, with up to $20,000 in credits offered to qualifying apps. Target customers are mid-to-large ad spenders ranging from $10,000 to $500,000+ per month, segmented across mobile app and game developers. Marketing channels are limited to the website, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn, with case studies as the primary mid-funnel asset.

Stardust was founded in 2018 and originally operated as a blockchain game developer platform, securing early funding from Blockchain Capital, Multicoin Capital, and Framework Ventures before pivoting to AI mobile advertising. The company closed a $30 million Series A in October 2022 led by Framework Ventures, with participation from Acrew Capital, BACKED VC, Blockchain Capital, Delta Blockchain Fund, Distributed Global, and Polymorphic Capital. The firm is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, employs 11-50 people, and operates privately with no disclosed revenue or profitability.

Name

Stardust

Legal name

Stardust

Website

https://stardust.gg

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stardust operates an AI-powered mobile app advertising platform that automates user acquisition campaigns across iOS and Android for app and game developers. The platform uses an AI optimization engine with MMP integrations (Appsflyer, Adjust, Tenjin, Singular) on a pay-per-install model targeting mid-to-large ad spenders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Performance-based advertising (Pay per Install): Customers pay only per install acquired. No platform or setup fees. Revenue is driven by volume of installs generated through AI-optimized campaigns. Minimum daily ad spend of $500 required.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stardust operates an AI-powered mobile advertising platform that automates user acquisition campaigns for iOS and Android apps and games. The platform connects to mobile measurement partners (Appsflyer, Adjust, Tenjin, Singular) and uses a 24/7 AI engine to optimize campaigns for multiple KPIs, including installs, purchases, ROAS, retention, and ad views. Customers onboard through an invite-only beta, receive dedicated account management, and pay only per install acquired.

Product overview

Stardust offers a unified AI-powered mobile advertising platform designed for app and game developers seeking automated user acquisition. The core platform combines AI-driven campaign optimization with MMP integrations (Appsflyer, Adjust, Tenjin, Singular) for attribution tracking. Users connect their app, select KPIs (installs, purchases, ROAS, retention, ad views, or custom actions), and the AI engine handles targeting, optimization, and scaling automatically. The platform operates on a performance-based model with no platform or setup fees, charging per install, and offers up to $20K in credits for invite-only beta participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Scale from thousands to millions of installs in days, not months
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AppsflyercoreTechnology or IntegrationMMP integration partner for campaign tracking and attribution. Supported platform for connecting apps to Stardust's AI advertising engine.
• AdjustcoreTechnology or IntegrationMMP integration partner for campaign tracking and attribution. Supported platform for connecting apps to Stardust's AI advertising engine.
• SingularcoreTechnology or IntegrationMMP integration partner for campaign tracking and attribution. Supported platform for connecting apps to Stardust's AI advertising engine.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AppLovin: AppLovin operates AXON, an AI-driven mobile user acquisition and monetization platform that competes directly with Stardust across iOS and Android. Both target app and game developers with automated, performance-based campaign optimization.
• Remerge: Remerge is an in-app retargeting and UA platform that uses AI/ML for app reinstall and re-engagement campaigns. It targets app developers with performance-based buying, similar to Stardust, though with a retargeting lean.
• Liftoff: Liftoff is a mobile UA and ad monetization network purpose-built for app and game marketers. It overlaps almost exactly with Stardust's customer segments (mobile apps and games, $10K–$500K+ monthly spend) and product (AI-driven install and ROAS optimization).
• Taptica (by Tremor International): Taptica, now part of Tremor, is a mobile-first DSP with performance-oriented UA campaigns for apps and games. It competes for the same mid-to-large app developer spend that Stardust targets.
• Moloco: Moloco runs a machine-learning-powered programmatic DSP and UA platform built for app developers, with comparable AI-driven targeting, bid optimization, and performance pricing. It is one of the most direct competitors to Stardust's positioning.
• Chartboost: Chartboost is a programmatic UA and in-app advertising platform focused on mobile games, with comparable targeting, optimization, and performance-based buying. It is a direct competitor for Stardust's gaming-segment customers.

Broad incumbents

• Digital Turbine: Digital Turbine provides end-to-end mobile UA, mediation, and app delivery technology to advertisers and OEMs. It overlaps with Stardust in the AI-driven UA segment but at much larger scale and across more channels.
• ironSource (Unity): ironSource, now part of Unity, runs a large-scale app monetization and UA platform with LevelPlay and Aura. It is a broader incumbent than Stardust but competes head-to-head for the same app developer ad budgets and offers overlapping AI-driven optimization.
• Google App Campaigns (Apple Search Ads): Google App Campaigns and Apple Search Ads are the default AI-driven, performance-based UA channels for iOS and Android developers. They represent the principal "do nothing else" alternative Stardust must displace to win spend.
• Meta Advantage+: Meta's Advantage+ (formerly Automated Ads) is the dominant AI-driven, performance-based campaign automation product in mobile UA. As a walled-garden incumbent with vast first-party signal, it sets the competitive ceiling Stardust must differentiate against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StardustPlatfrm
• Facebookfacebook.com/StardustPlatform
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stardustplatform

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors22 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stardust