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§ Private Profile · Tel Aviv, Israel
Interactive content platform for publishers and brands, enabling engagement, data collection, and monetization.
Apester is a Tel Aviv, Israel-based digital experience software platform that enables publishers and brands to create interactive content such as polls, quizzes, and web stories. The company operates a SaaS model helping digital media clients increase user engagement, collect first-party audience data, and generate advertising revenue. Prior to its May 2022 acquisition by online data company Datonics, the enterprise raised approximately $17 million in total venture funding, including a $12 million Series A. The platform has been utilized by major media customers like The Telegraph and backed by venture capital firms including Blumberg Capital and Mangrove Capital Partners. Despite reaching an estimated $14.7 million in revenue with a workforce of 70 employees, the firm's Israeli subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in July 2024. Apester was founded in 2014 by Moti Cohen, Gilad Almog, and Daniel Zelkind.
Apester has raised $17.4M across 3 funding rounds.
Apester has raised $17.4M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Apester has raised $17.4M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $12.0M Series A Extension in April 2016.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2016 | $12M Series A Plus | Blumberg Capital | — | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2015 | $5M Series A | ROY Saar | Aurum Ventures MKI, Pioneer Fund, IDO Yablonka, Gigi Kaplan, Morris Kahn, TAL Kerret, TAL Simantov | Announced |
| May 13, 2012 | $450K Venture Round | — | — | Announced |
Apester has raised $17.4M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Apester's investors include Blumberg Capital, Roy Saar, Aurum Ventures MKI, Pioneer Fund, Ido Yablonka, Gigi Kaplan, Morris Kahn, Tal Kerret, Tal Simantov.
Apester is a digital experience platform that enables publishers and brands to create, distribute, and monetize interactive content like quizzes, polls, and stories to boost user engagement and revenue.[1][2][3] It serves media publishers, marketers, and businesses by solving the challenge of static content in a mobile-first world, where users crave interactive, social-media-style experiences to increase time-on-site, leads, and conversions.[1][3] With $13.1 million in total funding, including a $12 million round, Apester has shown steady growth, integrating with content management systems and powering campaigns for outlets like Trusted Reviews and brands like Virgin.[2][3]
Founded in 2011 (with some sources noting 2014 as the launch year), Apester emerged from Tel Aviv, Israel, co-founded by CEO Moti Cohen amid the rise of social media formats like Snapchat Stories.[1][2][4] The idea stemmed from bridging the gap between consumers' demand for immersive digital media and publishers' limited tools, starting with interactive quizzes and evolving into full storytelling suites.[1][5] Early traction came from embedding formats into CMS platforms, gaining adoption among publishers like People magazine and securing funding rounds that fueled U.S. expansion, including a New York office.[2][3][4]
Apester stands out in the crowded content tech space through these key strengths:
Apester rides the interactive content wave in a post-cookie era, capitalizing on privacy-focused, contextual engagement as users shift to short-form, mobile experiences amid declining static article reads.[1] Timing aligns with social platforms' dominance—Snapchat/Instagram Stories popularized vertical, swipeable formats that Apester adapts for professional publishing, countering ad fatigue and boosting dwell time.[2][3] Market forces like rising Gen-Z consumption and AI-driven personalization favor it, positioning Apester to influence how publishers compete with TikTok/YouTube by embedding social-native tools into traditional media ecosystems.[3][5]
Apester is poised to expand its Story Suite and data integrations, targeting deeper AI enhancements for hyper-personalized experiences amid cookieless advertising trends.[1][3] As interactive content becomes table stakes for publishers facing revenue squeezes, Apester could see acquisition interest or partnerships with martech giants, evolving from engagement booster to full funnel platform. Its Israel-NYC footprint and proven ROI suggest sustained momentum, supercharging how brands meet modern user expectations first outlined in its founding mission.[2][4]