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Adform was founded in 2002 in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, by Gustav Mellenthin, Jakob Bak, and Stefan Juricic. Initially, the company focused on search engine marketing, emphasizing paid search advertising. However, after realizing the untapped potential of programmatic advertising, the founders changed the company’s focus.

Four years later, in 2006, Adform was at the forefront of the industry, introducing one of the first demand-side platforms (DSPs) designed for real-time bidding. This innovative platform revolutionized the way advertisers purchased digital ad space using automated auction systems. Over time, Adform did not stop there but continuously pushed the technological boundaries by introducing various services such as analytics, creative management, and ad-serving solutions.

By the end of the decade, in 2010, Adform had carved out a niche as the leading independent DSP in the European market. The company then set its sights on global markets, opening offices in cities such as London, Hamburg, Stockholm, Oslo, and Helsinki. In 2012, the company received a significant financial investment from Danish private equity firm Nordic Capital.

Today, Adform’s influence extends to 18 countries with 25 offices. The company processes six trillion ad impressions every month, and its clients include major agencies such as OMD, Dentsu, and Havas. Over the past few years, the company has focused on creating multi-channel digital advertising solutions. It uses data and automation technologies to improve the effectiveness of advertising campaigns across platforms ranging from display and video to mobile and social media.

Two decades after its inception, Adform has become one of the most significant independent advertising companies in the world. Despite its impressive growth and scale, the company has managed to maintain its original ethos of creating a startup environment focused on continuous innovation.