• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, December 3, 2009

Behavioral targeting media company OwnerIQ has raised $5.8 million in a third round of funding led by Kepha Partners, along with existing investors, including Atlas Venture, Egan-Managed Capital, CommonAngels and Mass Technology Development Corporation.

The new funding will be used to grow the company's New York-based advertising sales operation, along with its proprietary technology and media-buying platform.

Founded in 2006, OwnerIQ provides user manuals and how-tos for thousands of everyday household products on its network of seven Web sites. The sites offer registered users guides from more than 2,200 manufacturers, with products ranging from the everyday (washing machines) to the obscure (food dehydrators).

As a result, the Boston-based company has developed an ownership-targeted media program, with the ability to reach consumers based on what they already own, like specific brand names or a category of products such as kitchen appliances. It ostensibly takes the guesswork out of a hodgepodge of demographic statistics for advertisers to sift through, and provides an immediate indication of a consumer's likely future purchases.

The company now champions the concept of "ownership targeting," which helps advertisers target consumers across the ownership spectrum, from "intenders" looking to buy for the first time to long-term owners who have owned a product for years.

"Online advertising is experiencing a shift toward premium solutions based on proprietary targeting data and on-demand media acquisition," said Eric Hjerpe, general partner at Kepha Partners. "OwnerIQ has consistently delivered premium solutions for top brand advertisers using their unique ownership related behavioral targeting data and techniques."

The company's MOST real-time cross-exchange media-buying platform provides customized programs to target specific audiences across the Web.

OwnerIQ founder and CEO Jay Habegger says the company has recently experienced significant revenue growth. To date, OwnerIQ had previously raised $8 million.