Marin Software is an online advertising company based in San Francisco. The software company focuses on viewing and promoting advertisements.

History

Christopher Lien, Wister Walcott, and Joseph Chang founded Marin Software in April 2006. Lien and Walcott are stiill working in the company, Lien as the Chief Executive Officer and Walcott as Executive Vice President, Product and Technology.

Lien stated he thought of the company's concept following a brief stint of working for an online advertisements firm in 2005. He realized that there is a need software for managing online campaigns for search advertisers. Lien shared his idea with Chang and a former high school classmate, Wister Walcott. Chang had built J. Drew’s website and was a co-worker with Lien at Bluelight.com, Kmart’s eCommerce site, when it launched in 1999. Walcott, who previously worked at the software giant Siebel, required a bit more convincing. Alongside Lien, they both drove up and down California’s Highway 101 in early 2006, interviewing search marketers in Silicon Valley about their experience managing online ads. After a half-dozen interviews, they convinced Walcott to join them.^[1]

In April 2007, Marin Search Marketer made its debut and became commercially available in North America, signing Razorfish, Trouve Media, and ZipRealty. Marin Search Marketer has since become MarinOne, its next-generation advertising platform.^[2]

Marin Software expanded into the European market with the opening of its UK office in early 2009.^[3]

The company shared plans to expand into Asia-Pacific with offices in Singapore and Shanghai in January 2011. This announcement coincided with the announcement of a partnership with the company Baidu.^[4] In June 2011, Marin Software announced its expansion into Australia with the opening of an office in Sydney.^[5] The following year, they did the same in Tokyo.^[6]

Between 2006 and 2012, Marin raised more than US$100 million in funding. The company reported a revenue of $36M in 2011 and $50M in 2012.^[7]

In late 2012, Marin Software's CEO, Chris Lien, remarked to MediaPost that the company would undergo an IPO in 2013.^[8] On February 13, 2013, The company filed with the SEC for a $75M initial public offering.^[9]

Initial public offering

On March 22, 2013, the company went public, selling 7.5M shares at a price of $14 per share, raising $105M at a valuation of $425M.^[10][11]

On September 24, 2014, Marin Software announced the launch of the Marin Audience Marketing Suite. (MAMS).^[12] On June 12, 2018, It launched MarinOne, its next-generation advertising platform for advertisers and agencies, at SMX Advanced in Seattle.

Acquisitions

The following is a list of acquisitions by Marin Software:

• Perfect Audience (June 2014)^[13]
• Social Moov (February 2015)^[14]

Funding

• Marin Software raised $105M in its IPO – March 22, 2013^[10]
• Marin Software received $30M in Series F funding (Temasek, Benchmark Capital, Crosslink Capital, DAG Ventures, SAP Ventures, and Triangle Peak Partners) – February 13, 2012^[15]
• Marin Software received $16M in Series E funding (Crosslink Capital, DAG Ventures, Focus Ventures, Benchmark Capital, and Triangle Peak Partners) – April 5, 2011^[16]
• Marin Software received $11.2M in Series D funding (Amicus Capital, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, Focus Ventures, and Triangle Peak Partners) – June 2, 2010^[17]
• Marin Software received $13M in Series C funding (Amicus Capital, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, and Focus Ventures) – April 28, 2009^[18]
• Marin Software received $7.25M in Series B funding (Benchmark Capital and Amicus Capital) – April 9, 2008^[19]
• Marin Software received $2.5M in Series A funding (Amicus Capital) – October 5, 2006^[20]