DWA
DWA is a privately held, San Francisco-based global media and marketing agency founded in 1996 that serves technology-sector clients. With 101–250 employees, it offers programmatic media buying, client services, and process/technology enablement across multiple U.S. markets including Chicago.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DWA does
DWA is a private, for-profit global media and marketing agency founded in 1996 and headquartered in San Francisco, United States. Per its firmographic profile, the company specializes in serving technology companies as clients, positioning it within the niche segment of B2B marketing agencies focused on the tech sector. The firm operates with a headcount band of 101–250 employees, placing it in the mid-sized agency tier — large enough to handle multi-market and multi-discipline engagements but not at the scale of global holding-company networks.
The company's disclosed leadership structure indicates core capabilities concentrated in three areas: programmatic media buying (SVP and Director-level roles dedicated to Programmatic), client services and account leadership (including a GM of Chicago operations and a VP of Client Services), and internal process and technology enablement (SVP, Process and Technology). This suggests DWA runs a service model built around paid media execution, account-based client partnership, and operational technology infrastructure typical of a programmatic-led B2B agency. The presence of a GM for Chicago operations indicates at least one additional U.S. market beyond the San Francisco headquarters.
The firm is privately held, and no public revenue, funding, or ownership disclosures are present in the input data. Its business model is implied to be the standard professional services / media agency model: fees and/or media billings tied to client engagements with technology-sector buyers. No productized SaaS offering, proprietary technology platform, or AI-native product is described in the available data — DWA's technology stack appears oriented toward enabling its own media operations rather than being sold externally.
DWA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DWA
- Legal name
- D-Wave Quantum Inc.
- Website
- https://dwamedia.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- DWA is a privately held, San Francisco-based global media and marketing agency founded in 1996 that serves technology-sector clients. With 101–250 employees, it offers programmatic media buying, client services, and process/technology enablement across multiple U.S. markets including Chicago.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where DWA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
DWA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels1 record
DWA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DWA is a global media and marketing agency that delivers integrated marketing services exclusively to technology companies. The firm provides media planning and buying, programmatic advertising, brand marketing strategy, and integrated marketing communications tailored to the technology buyer. Services are delivered through SVP-led practice areas covering programmatic, client services, and process and technology operations.
Product overview
D-Wave Quantum offers quantum computing solutions centered on its Advantage quantum computer and associated cloud services. The company provides access to quantum computing capabilities through cloud-based infrastructure, enabling organizations to leverage quantum annealing for computational problems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Media Planning and Buying Strategic media planning and buying services for technology company clients, covering paid media investments across digital and traditional channels.
- Programmatic Advertising Programmatic media buying and audience targeting capabilities for technology marketers, overseen by an SVP of Programmatic and a Director of Programmatic.
- Brand Marketing and Strategy Brand positioning and marketing strategy services for technology companies, delivered through senior client partner leadership.
- Client Services Management Dedicated client services function, led by a VP-level Client Services Director, providing day-to-day account leadership for technology clients.
- Marketing Process and Technology Services Operational and technology-side support for marketing campaigns, led by an SVP of Process and Technology to streamline execution across media and creative workflows.
Companies that use DWA
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
DWA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
DWA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Expansion highlights2 records
DWA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Walker Sands: B2B marketing and PR agency with a strong focus on technology and SaaS clients, offering media, content, and demand-generation services comparable to DWA's tech-vertical media/marketing remit.
- gyro: Global B2B marketing agency with deep technology and industrial client rosters; competes with DWA for tech-company brand and media mandates.
- Stein IAS: B2B creative and media agency historically focused on technology brands, providing integrated marketing services overlapping directly with DWA's core offering.
- Bader Rutter: Independent B2B marketing agency with significant technology, healthcare, and industrial accounts; comparable mid-size private agency competing for similar tech-vertical work.
- PAN Communications: B2B tech-focused PR and integrated marketing agency serving technology and healthcare clients; directly comparable in vertical focus and agency size to DWA.
- Crenshaw Communications: B2B marketing and PR agency focused on technology, fintech, and enterprise SaaS; similar in scale and vertical specialization to DWA.
Broad incumbents
- Merkle: Large B2B and CX marketing agency within dentsu, with substantial technology and high-tech client practices; a broader incumbent competing for the same tech-marketing RFPs DWA targets, but at significantly larger scale.
- Ketchum: Global communications and marketing firm with a strong technology practice; competes for tech-company brand and media work as part of a much broader portfolio.
- Edelman: Global PR and marketing firm with a dedicated technology sector; overlaps with DWA's remit but operates at a far larger scale and across many non-tech verticals.
Regional players
- Velocity Partners: B2B marketing agency specializing in technology and complex industries; comparable in vertical focus and service mix, but primarily UK-based and serving a different geographic market than DWA.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
DWA social profiles
Digital presenceDWA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DWA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
DWA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DWA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DWA
What does DWA do?
DWA is a global media and marketing agency that delivers integrated marketing services exclusively to technology companies. The firm provides media planning and buying, programmatic advertising, brand marketing strategy, and integrated marketing communications tailored to the technology buyer. Services are delivered through SVP-led practice areas covering programmatic, client services, and process and technology operations.
Is DWA a public or private company?
DWA is a public company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DWA founded?
DWA was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is DWA based?
DWA is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
Who are DWA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Walker Sands, gyro, Stein IAS, Bader Rutter, PAN Communications and Crenshaw Communications. Broad incumbents are Merkle, Ketchum and Edelman. Velocity Partners is listed as a regional player.
Does DWA have an API?
No public API is recorded for DWA.