ID5 acquires TrueData to strengthen global identity infrastructure

Identification supplier ID5 introduced on November 4, 2024, the acquisition of TrueData, a US-based id graph firm, marking a major consolidation within the various id house because the digital promoting trade continues adapting to privateness rules and cookie deprecation.

The transaction brings collectively ID5’s market-leading various identifier and GDPR-compliant graph with TrueData’s US-focused id decision capabilities and in depth graph companies. Based on the announcement, the mixed entity will function below the ID5 model with roughly 80 workers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

“ID5 is already broadly recognised as a number one common ID vendor,” mentioned Mathieu Roche, co-founder and CEO of ID5, in response to the corporate announcement. “By bringing within the experience of TrueData, we’re increasing our capabilities and the scope of companies we are able to provide to our shoppers and companions.”

The acquisition addresses a basic problem dealing with digital advertisers: connecting offline knowledge with on-line identifiers at scale whereas sustaining privateness compliance. ID5, acknowledged as a worldwide chief within the various ID house, already derives nearly all of its shoppers and income from the US market. The addition of TrueData’s graph and datasets strengthens ID5’s presence in North America whereas increasing its Adaptive Identification know-how.

Technical integration creates complete providing

TrueData’s id graph connects folks and households to their digital units, offering knowledge enrichment and id decision options centered on cookieless addressability at scale. The corporate has established itself as a trusted companion of main enterprise knowledge firms, constructing privacy-centric options for shoppers pursuing addressability objectives.

The merger combines TrueData’s US market experience and graph capabilities with ID5’s European cross-device graph and scaled various ID infrastructure. Based on ID5, this mix creates a singular market proposition connecting offline knowledge with the most important on-line attain to strengthen recognition, activation, and measurement throughout channels.

Many firms already use each ID5 and TrueData merchandise independently. The unified answer will take away complexity for shared shoppers whereas unlocking better worth by built-in applied sciences and complementary geographic footprints.

Management integration and strategic course

As a part of the transaction, Scott Conine, CEO of TrueData, will be a part of ID5’s govt group as Strategic Advisor. Jon Durkee, President and COO of TrueData, assumes the function of Chief Income Officer for the mixed group.

“Our firms share the identical function and function with the identical values of neutrality and collaboration,” mentioned Conine, in response to the announcement. “This can be a true merger of strengths, bringing collectively complementary merchandise, groups, and cultures to create a extra full id companion for the ecosystem.”

The acquisition obtained backing from ID5’s investor base. “ID5 has constantly led the best way in redefining id for digital promoting,” mentioned Sanja Partalo, co-founder and managing companion at S4S Ventures and board member at ID5, in response to the announcement. “This acquisition accelerates their mission, increasing ID5’s world footprint and strengthening its place because the id companion of selection for the ecosystem.”

Jodi Sherman Jahic, co-founder and managing companion at Aligned Companions and board member at TrueData, emphasised the strategic worth: “Becoming a member of forces with ID5 unlocks distinctive options and creates a worldwide id chief accelerating progress for each firms’ shoppers, companions, and workers,” in response to the announcement.

Business context and market positioning

The acquisition comes because the digital promoting ecosystem continues adapting to significant shifts in identity and addressability infrastructure. The transaction follows ID5’s April 2024 Collection B funding spherical, which raised $20 millionfrom traders together with TransUnion and S4S Ventures.

ID5 established itself as a outstanding participant by partnerships throughout the programmatic promoting panorama. Current collaborations embrace integration with OpenX demonstrating 58% attain enhance in Safari desktop environments, and partnerships with Future Today for related tv addressability throughout 1.5 billion advert impressions.

The corporate has expanded its presence throughout a number of promoting channels. In December 2024, ID5 partnered with gaming advertising provider Anzu to deal with transparency issues in gaming environments, and built-in with Italian media platform Piemme alongside The Commerce Desk’s European Unified ID.

TrueData has maintained a decrease public profile in comparison with bigger id answer suppliers. The corporate was named among 47 identity providers tracked by IAB Australia in an trade analysis of identification methods, alongside options from LiveRamp, TransUnion, Lotame, and different established gamers.

Privateness framework and governance construction

Following the acquisition, operations might be guided by ID5’s established privateness ideas and governance frameworks. The corporate’s strategy emphasizes privacy-by-design structure and compliance with regional knowledge safety rules together with GDPR and numerous US state privateness legal guidelines.

The mixed group will keep ID5’s emphasis on neutrality and collaboration all through the digital promoting ecosystem. This positioning differentiates the corporate from walled backyard id options provided by main platforms, as an alternative specializing in interoperability throughout publishers, platforms, and advertisers.

Market implications for promoting professionals

The consolidation displays broader tendencies within the id decision house as unbiased suppliers search scale and complementary capabilities. For advertising professionals, the merger creates a single companion providing expanded protection throughout geographic markets and enhanced matching capabilities between offline and on-line identifiers.

Publishers working with both ID5 or TrueData will achieve entry to broader addressability options by the mixed platform. Advertisers can leverage enhanced matching capabilities to attach buyer relationship administration knowledge with digital promoting stock throughout channels.

The transaction additionally alerts continued funding in various id infrastructure regardless of ongoing uncertainty round third-party cookie deprecation timelines. Identification answer suppliers have maintained growth momentum at the same time as Google repeatedly delayed its plans to section out third-party cookies in Chrome.

Progress Companions acted as unique monetary advisor to TrueData within the transaction. Monetary phrases of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.

Timeline

• 2013: TrueData based in Los Angeles, specializing in id decision and knowledge enrichment
• 2017: ID5 based by trade consultants to construct privacy-focused id options
• April 2024: ID5 raises $20 million Series B funding led by TransUnion and S4S Ventures
• June 2025: ID5 partners with Future Today for CTV promoting addressability
• November 4, 2024: ID5 proclaims acquisition of TrueData

Abstract

Who: ID5, a market-leading id supplier for digital promoting based in 2017, acquired TrueData, a US-based id graph firm based in 2013. Scott Conine and Jon Durkee from TrueData joined ID5’s govt group as Strategic Advisor and Chief Income Officer, respectively. The mixed group consists of roughly 80 workers throughout three continents.

What: The acquisition combines ID5’s GDPR-compliant graph and market-leading various ID with TrueData’s US-focused id decision capabilities and graph companies. The transaction creates what the businesses describe as probably the most complete id answer for digital promoting, unifying complementary applied sciences and geographic footprints below the ID5 model.

When: ID5 introduced the acquisition on November 4, 2024. TrueData’s LinkedIn web page was up to date on August 14, 2024, to mirror the combination, indicating the transaction course of started earlier in 2024.

The place: The mixed group operates throughout North America, Europe, and Asia with groups spanning all three areas. ID5 maintains headquarters in London and New York, whereas TrueData was based mostly in Los Angeles. The merger strengthens ID5’s presence within the US market, the place nearly all of its shoppers and income originate.

Why: The acquisition addresses rising trade demand for complete id options as third-party cookies section out and privateness rules intensify. By combining TrueData’s US graph experience with ID5’s European infrastructure and scaled various ID, the businesses created an id answer able to connecting offline knowledge with on-line identifiers at world scale whereas sustaining privateness compliance throughout totally different regulatory frameworks.