ContextWeb Founder Joins AdGenesis

Video ad platform provider AdGenesis Digital On Wednesday named Jeremy Sterns as its new chief technical officer. Sterns comes from Send Word Now New York, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services for both emergency and routine communication where he had been CTO since March 2007.

Prior to Send Word, Sterns co-founded ContextWeb, and is credited with helping to launch the company's ADSDAQ ad Exchange.

Founded just last year, AdGenesis has been collecting brand-centric member-provided data through sister company Beezag -- which Sterns will also oversee as chief technical officer.

From some 10,000 beta users, Beezag has secured over 200,000 opt-in data points that are made available in the aggregate to its advertisers to inform, alter or improve their marketing messages.

Earlier this month, AdGenesis debuted a video ad platform that rewards consumers for watching ads with various deals and incentives. The white-label platform, which functions across media platforms, rewards consumers with savings and other marketing offers for providing information about their buying habits and brand preferences, after watching video ads that are relevant to their "lifestyle preferences."

"We felt from the beginning that AdGenesis was unique in creating an experience where consumers want to watch branded content and entertaining ads," said Richard Smullen, co-founder and CEO of AdGenesis.

The AdGenesis platform can run on any Web site or mobile device, allowing members multiple access points across the Web and mobile ecosystem. Going forward, the company plans to scale through the mobile interfaces of distribution partners such as PriceGrabber, Stylequest and Home Shopping Network.

To date, AdGenesis Digital and Beezag have raised about $4 million from angel investors, including Michael Kassan, chairman and CEO of consulting firm MediaLink; Wenda Harris Millard, president and COO of MediaLink; and Gerry Byrne, former publisher of Variety and SVP of media and entertainment at Nielsen.

Separately on Wednesday, AdGenesis named Tremor Media founder Andrew Reis to its Executive Council.

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