Rubicon Project

What Rubicon Project does

Rubicon Project was founded in 2007 as a sell-side advertising technology platform and merged with Telaria in 2020 to form Magnite, Inc., the largest independent sell-side advertising company. The company operates a modular ad platform connecting publishers and media owners (sellers) with brands, agencies, and demand-side platforms (buyers) for programmatic advertising transactions across connected TV (CTV), online video, display, and audio formats. Core products include DV+ (the primary header bidding and real-time bidding SSP, retaining the legacy platform.rubiconproject.com login), Magnite Streaming, SpringServe (server-side ad insertion for CTV/OTT), ClearLine (brand safety and transparency), streamr.ai (audience activation for nonprofits), and Magnite Orchestration (an AI agentic advertising layer launched June 2026).

The platform is built on a hybrid infrastructure combining on-premises systems with cloud-based environments, with distributed data centers across the United States, Europe, and Asia to deliver 99.97% uptime and low-latency auction processing. Magnite integrates with major DSPs (Google DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon, Microsoft/Xandr, InMobi/Roku) and measurement providers (Nielsen, Comscore, DoubleVerify, Oracle Moat, Human Security, Pixalate, TVSquared). The company is a registered IAB TCF 2.0 vendor, maintains GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, and EU-US Data Privacy Framework compliance, and operates with 501-1000 employees across offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Dublin.

Magnite monetizes via transaction fees and take rates on programmatic advertising spend flowing through its exchange, with negotiated enterprise contracts and multi-year durations. The customer base is horizontal across publishers and buyers, with named enterprise logos including NFL.com, Business Insider, Walmart, Google, Dentsu, DIRECTV Advertising, and the AdGood nonprofit network. Notable M&A history includes Chango ($122M, 2015), nToggle ($38.5M, 2017), and RTK.io (2019), all absorbed into the platform's data and optimization capabilities.

Name

Rubicon Project

Legal name

Magnite, Inc.

Website

https://rubiconproject.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Magnite (formerly Rubicon Project) is the largest independent sell-side advertising platform, operating a modular programmatic ad technology stack that connects publishers and media owners with brands, agencies, and DSPs across CTV, online video, display, and audio inventory globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Programmatic Advertising Technology (Ad Tech)

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital & Programmatic Media Buying (Display, Video, CTV, Audio) (BPAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Platform & Audience Insights (CDP, Data Warehouse, Attribution) (MPAHAJAN), Programmatic Display & Video (DSP/RTB) (BPAFACAC), Creative, Content Production & Ad Ops Tools (BPAMALAK)

Keywords

• Programmatic advertising platform
• Sell-side ad technology
• Connected TV advertising
• Header bidding technology
• CTV ad marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Playa Vista

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Programmatic Advertising Transaction Fees: Magnite earns revenue by facilitating transactions between publishers (sellers of advertising inventory) and advertisers (buyers). The company charges fees for using its sell-side platform to auction and deliver digital advertising across CTV, online video, display, and audio formats. The platform operates on a programmatic basis connecting buyers and sellers in real-time auctions.
2. Supply-Side Platform Services: Revenue generated from providing technology and services to media owners/publishers to maximize their advertising revenue through header bidding, supply path optimization, and inventory management tools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Magnite (formerly Rubicon Project) operates a programmatic advertising sell-side platform that enables publishers and media owners to monetize digital ad inventory across CTV, online video, audio, display, and mobile through automated auctions. The platform connects supply-side publishers with demand-side advertisers and agencies via real-time bidding, header bidding, and direct programmatic guarantees. Its product suite includes DV+, Magnite Streaming, SpringServe, ClearLine, Magnite Orchestration, streamr.ai, and Magnite Explorer.

Product overview

Magnite operates as a modular advertising technology platform with a platform-plus-products architecture. The core Magnite platform serves as the unified infrastructure connecting sellers (publishers, media owners) with buyers and agencies for programmatic advertising across multiple formats and screens. Key products include DV+ for traditional programmatic ad serving, Magnite Streaming for CTV/OTT environments, and SpringServe for advanced video ad serving. The company recently launched Magnite Orchestration as an AI layer enabling autonomous advertising agents. Additional tools include ClearLine for brand safety and transparency, streamr.ai for nonprofit audience activation, and Magnite Explorer for analytics. The company emerged from the merger of Rubicon Project with Tremor International in 2020.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DV+ DV+ is Magnite's flagship sell-side platform (SSP) for programmatic monetization of display and video inventory. It is used by publishers and media owners to run header bidding, real-time bidding, and direct deals across the open web.
• Magnite Streaming Magnite Streaming is the CTV and online video sell-side platform for publishers and broadcasters. It enables streaming media owners to monetize premium ad-supported content through programmatic auctions and direct demand integrations.
• SpringServe SpringServe is an ad server for CTV and video, providing ad decisioning, frequency capping, and server-side ad insertion (SSAI) capabilities to streaming publishers and broadcasters.
• Magnite ClearLine Magnite ClearLine is a platform for managing automated, direct programmatic deals between publishers and buyers, including programmatic guaranteed and private marketplace (PMP) deals, with reduced operational overhead.
• Magnite Orchestration Magnite Orchestration is a header bidding and ad decisioning solution that unifies auctions across multiple SSPs and demand sources, enabling publishers to optimize yield in a single, server-side workflow.
• streamr.ai streamr.ai is an AI-driven CTV advertising platform for ad buyers that enables agentic, AI-powered planning, activation, and optimization of streaming media campaigns.
• Magnite Explorer Magnite Explorer is a data and analytics platform providing publishers and buyers with insights into programmatic supply, audience composition, and deal performance across channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• 270%+ revenue uplift for publishers using Google Open Bidding Direct Pay with Magnite
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationMagnite partners with Google on Open Bidding Direct Pay, enabling publishers to access Google's extensive advertiser demand. This partnership has delivered 270%+ revenue uplift for publishers like Quarter Media. Magnite is integrated with Google's DV360 demand-side platform.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMagnite partners with Walmart Connect to power the Connect Select marketplace on Walmart's DSP. This enables advertisers to access Walmart's retail media network through Magnite's platform.
• Business InsidercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness Insider launched a standalone FAST channel and partnered with Magnite's SpringServe for the next phase of streaming growth, enabling monetization of their streaming content.
• The Trade DeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Trade Desk is a major DSP integrated with Magnite's sell-side platform, enabling programmatic ad buying across CTV, video, display, and audio inventory.
• NielsencoreTechnology or IntegrationNielsen provides measurement and attribution services integrated with Magnite's platform to help advertisers measure campaign performance.
• ComscorecoreTechnology or IntegrationComscore provides measurement and analytics capabilities integrated with Magnite's platform for audience measurement and campaign verification.
• DoubleVerifycoreTechnology or IntegrationDoubleVerify provides fraud prevention and brand safety solutions integrated with Magnite's platform to ensure inventory quality.
• Human (f/k/a White Ops)coreTechnology or IntegrationHuman Security provides bot and fraud detection integrated with Magnite's platform for protection against non-human traffic.
• Moat (Oracle)coreTechnology or IntegrationOracle Moat provides viewability and attention measurement integrated with Magnite's advertising platform.
• PixalatecoreTechnology or IntegrationPixalate provides privacy, compliance, and fraud detection services integrated with Magnite's platform for connected TV and mobile advertising.
• DentsucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDentsu is testing Magnite's expanded buyer and seller agent capabilities, including Magnite Orchestration for AI-powered advertising automation.
• DIRECTV AdvertisingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIRECTV Advertising is testing Magnite's expanded buyer and seller agent capabilities, including AI-powered advertising orchestration.
• Amazon AdscoreTechnology or IntegrationAmazon is integrated with Magnite's sell-side platform as a DSP partner enabling programmatic buying across inventory.
• AdGoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdGood leverages Magnite's streamr.ai platform to create and scale impactful ads for nonprofit organizations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pubmatic: Pubmatic is a publicly traded independent sell-side platform offering programmatic monetization for publishers across display, video, mobile, and CTV—directly overlapping with Magnite's DV+ and Streaming offerings and serving the same publisher and DSP buyer ecosystem.
• Index Exchange: Index Exchange operates one of the largest independent SSPs and competes directly with Magnite DV+ for publisher header bidding and supply path optimization spend across CTV and omnichannel inventory.
• OpenX: OpenX is an independent SSP offering programmatic monetization across CTV, video, and display—directly competitive with Magnite for premium publisher inventory and global demand integrations.
• Criteo: Criteo transitioned from a retargeting specialist into a broader commerce media platform with SSP and retailer monetization capabilities, competing with Magnite for retail media and omnichannel publisher demand.
• Equativ: Equativ (formerly Smart AdServer) is an independent ad tech platform combining an SSP, ad server, and curation capabilities, competing with Magnite DV+ and SpringServe for publisher-side monetization technology.
• Adform: Adform is an independent ad tech platform offering both DSP and SSP capabilities across display, video, and CTV—directly comparable to Magnite's platform-plus-products architecture for cross-channel media owners.

Broad incumbents

• The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk is the largest independent demand-side platform and a core buyer of Magnite's inventory. While buy-side versus sell-side, the two companies serve the same advertisers and compete for budget allocation within the programmatic stack.
• Yahoo (Verizon Media / Yahoo Ad Tech): Yahoo operates a major SSP (formerly Verizon Media's programmatic business) and competes with Magnite for both publisher supply and DSP marketplace integrations, particularly in CTV and premium video inventory.

Emerging players

• LiveRamp: LiveRamp is a data connectivity and identity resolution platform that integrates with Magnite's audience targeting stack. While not a direct SSP, it increasingly competes in addressability and data collaboration solutions central to programmatic monetization.

Others

• DoubleVerify: DoubleVerify is a verification, brand safety, and fraud prevention partner integrated with Magnite via ClearLine. While not a direct competitor, it represents an adjacent ad tech category that increasingly competes for the same quality-related ad spend.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rubiconproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/87155
• Instagraminstagram.com/heymagnite
• Facebookfacebook.com/rubiconproject

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors10 records

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

M&A9 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Rubicon Project