What Adwave does

Adwave (Adwave Digital, Inc.) is a self-serve SaaS platform that uses generative AI to convert a business's website URL into a broadcast-ready 30-second TV commercial and then programmatically places that ad across more than 100 connected TV (CTV) and over-the-top (OTT) streaming channels. The company targets small and medium businesses, individual creators and influencers, real estate professionals, senior living operators, and mobile app developers — segments historically excluded from TV advertising by production costs and six-figure minimum budgets. Campaigns are launched directly through the app.adwave.com self-serve interface with no production crew, agency involvement, or annual contract required, and budgets start at $50 with automatic pacing.

The technical core is a multimodal AI pipeline that scrapes a customer's website, extracts text and image assets, generates ad copy and scripts, synthesizes voice narration via text-to-speech, and renders an MP4 video in approximately two minutes. Ad placement is handled through real-time bidding across inventory partners that include Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, NBC, Discovery, Fox, Sling, Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock, and YouTube. The product surface extends beyond the consumer-facing web app: a Partner API (REST plus a Model Context Protocol endpoint) exposes programmatic creative generation, editing, rendering, and embedding, with rate limits and webhook callbacks; an AdwavePlayer JavaScript component allows embedding of generated creatives on third-party sites; and an Agentic Video Editor (launched December 2025) adds autonomous campaign creation and management. Stripe is the payment processor, and the legal entity is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Frederick, Maryland.

Adwave operates a product-led growth model with a pay-as-you-go transaction-fee revenue model: creative generation is free, and the company earns fees on media placements, with 100% of placement fees collected at the time of purchase. Distribution relies on SEO-driven content marketing (200+ blog articles), an affiliate program, social advertising, verticalized landing pages for 20+ industries, and the Partner API for developer and agency integrations. The company does not disclose revenue, has raised a $1.0 million seed round in February 2025, lists approximately six named team members (CEO David Naffis and five others), and launched its full platform in April 2025, making it an early-stage private company.

Name

Adwave

Legal name

Adwave Digital, Inc.

Website

https://adwave.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Adwave is a self-serve AI platform that transforms business websites into 30-second TV commercials and places them across 100+ streaming channels for SMBs and creators, with campaigns starting at $50 and no production crew required.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Software

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Connected TV (CTV) & OTT Performance Advertising (BPAFACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ad Tech for OTT (SSAI/CSAI, Ad Decisioning, Measurement) (MPAHAJAG), Performance Creative & Ad Production (Dynamic/Iterative) (BPAFACAI), Programmatic Display & Video (DSP/RTB) (BPAFACAC)

Keywords

• Connected TV advertising
• AI video ad generation
• Programmatic ad placement
• Self-serve ad platform
• OTT advertising platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Frederick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ad Placement Fees: Revenue generated from fees paid by customers for CTV and OTT ad placements. Customers pay a budget for media buys and Adwave acts as intermediary between customers and CTV/OTT providers (Netflix, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Hulu, ESPN, Discovery, NBC, Fox, Sling, Xumo, Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock, YouTube). 100% of placement fees payable at time of purchase.
2. Creative Services (Implied): While creative generation is free for customers, the cost is absorbed by Adwave and factored into the overall service model. Revenue comes from media placement fees while AI creative production removes a traditional cost barrier to enable more campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Adwave operates a self-serve SaaS platform that uses AI to generate broadcast-ready 30-second TV commercials from a customer's website URL in approximately 2 minutes and then programmatically places those ads across 100+ connected TV (CTV) and OTT streaming channels. The platform enables small businesses, creators, and real estate professionals to launch TV advertising campaigns starting at a $50 budget with no production crew or agency involvement, using automatic pacing and ZIP-code based audience targeting.

Product overview

Adwave is a unified AI-powered connected TV (CTV) advertising platform for small businesses. The core product is the Adwave Platform, which combines AI creative generation (producing broadcast-ready 30-second commercials from website URLs in ~2 minutes), programmatic ad placement across 100+ streaming channels (NBC, Hulu, ESPN, Discovery, Tubi, Pluto TV, etc.), and campaign management with geographic/demographic targeting starting at $50 budgets. The platform is complemented by the Adwave Partner API (for programmatic creative generation and editing), the AdwavePlayer (for embedding ads on external sites), and the Agentic Video Editor (for automated campaign management). Industry-specific solutions provide vertical-optimized targeting across 20+ verticals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adwave Platform AI-powered connected TV (CTV) advertising platform that turns a business website URL into a broadcast-ready 30-second TV commercial and places it programmatically across 100+ streaming channels. Targeted at SMBs, creators, real estate professionals, and local service businesses seeking affordable self-serve TV advertising without agencies.
• Adwave Partner API REST and MCP API for agencies, developers, and ad tech platforms to programmatically generate, edit, render, and embed Adwave-generated video ad creatives. Includes endpoints for creative requests, status polling, edits, rendering, webhooks, and player embedding. Targeted at developer and agency integrators.
• Agentic Video Editor Agentic AI-powered video editing capability that automates campaign creation and management with limited human intervention, enabling fully automated TV ad workflows for SMB customers.
• AdwavePlayer JavaScript-based video player for embedding Adwave-generated ad creatives on external websites, with HTML drop-in snippet and React/npm integration. Refreshes live after API edits without page reload.

Quantifiable outcome

• Kaimuki Dental increased client volume 150% within 5 weeks of running their first ad with Adwave
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• StripecoreOthersThird-party payment processor handling all payment transactions. Adwave integrates Stripe for payment processing when customers purchase ad placements. Customers are redirected to Stripe's site for payment, governed by Stripe's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
• CTV and OTT ProviderscoreTechnology or IntegrationConnected TV video streaming companies (Netflix, Apple TV) and Over-The-Top interactive television providers (Roku, Amazon Fire, gaming consoles) where Adwave places video ads on behalf of customers. Adwave acts as intermediary providing programmatic access to these platforms' ad inventory.
• Streaming Platforms (NBC, Hulu, ESPN, Discovery, Fox, Sling, Xumo, Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock, YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video)coreTechnology or Integration100+ streaming channels and platforms where Adwave enables ad placement. Adwave's programmatic platform provides access to premium broadcast and cable networks as well as FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) services, enabling local businesses to advertise alongside major brands.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Waymark: AI video ad creation platform that produces TV-ready creative from minimal business inputs and supports CTV/OTT distribution. Closest direct peer to Adwave's URL-to-TV-ad pipeline.
• QuickFrame (by MNTN): CTV-first creative and media-buying platform aimed at SMBs and performance marketers, now part of MNTN. Directly comparable to Adwave's self-serve CTV creative + placement model.
• MNTN: Self-serve CTV advertising platform targeting SMBs with performance-oriented TV buying. Competes for the same SMB advertiser and local-budget segment as Adwave.
• TVScientific: CTV performance advertising platform built for SMBs and direct-response marketers, with creative tools and outcome-based measurement. Overlaps with Adwave on self-serve CTV buying for performance-driven advertisers.
• Pencil: Generative AI ad creative platform that produces video ad variations from brand inputs. Competes in the AI-generated video ad space that Adwave targets for TV formats.
• AdCreative.ai: AI-driven ad creative generation platform producing display and video ad variants at scale. Overlaps with Adwave's generative creative layer, though Adwave extends further into CTV placement.

Broad incumbents

• The Trade Desk: Large independent DSP with deep CTV buying capabilities and a self-serve UI used by agencies and brands. A broad incumbent that competes for the same CTV media dollars Adwave intermediates.
• Magnite: Largest independent CTV and video SSP, supplying programmatic access to the same Netflix, Hulu and other inventory Adwave relies on. A structural upstream dependency and broad incumbent in the CTV ad stack.
• Smartly.io: Creative automation and media-buying platform with AI-powered ad generation across social and digital channels. A broader incumbent in AI-driven ad creative that could expand into CTV formats.

Emerging players

• Innovid: CTV ad serving, creative personalization and measurement company. Adjacent technology overlap with Adwave's creative and delivery layer, particularly on dynamic creative and measurement for CTV.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/adwavedotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/adwavedotcom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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 Adwave