Latest news with #BrianO'Kelley
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Who is Brian O'Kelley? The Computer Science engineer from Princeton who sold a $1.6 billion company for 'social good'
In 2018, Brian O'Kelley achieved what many tech entrepreneurs dream of: the sale of AppNexus, the ad-tech company he co-founded in 2007, to AT&T for $1.6 billion. But unlike the typical billionaire narrative of yachts, private jets, and sprawling mansions, O'Kelley made a strikingly different choice. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He kept less than $100 million for himself and donated the rest to charitable causes he and his family care about. As reported by Fortune, this decision reflected his guiding philosophy: success isn't about accumulating wealth—it's about creating meaningful, lasting impact on society. Early years and Princeton education Brian O'Kelley's path to entrepreneurship began at Princeton University, where he pursued a BSE in Computer Science from 1995 to 1999. Princeton not only provided rigorous technical training but also fostered critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration—skills that would become invaluable in his later ventures. Outside the classroom, O'Kelley played junior varsity basketball, balancing academics with athletics. This experience taught him discipline, resilience, and teamwork—qualities that would define his leadership style in the fast-paced world of startups. It was at Princeton that O'Kelley honed both the technical and interpersonal skills needed to navigate the challenges of building and scaling a company. From apartment startup to global ad-tech leader After graduation, O'Kelley co-founded AppNexus in 2007, launching the company from his apartment in New York City. The mission was ambitious: to create a better internet by offering a transparent, real-time advertising platform that could compete with established tech giants. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Over the next 11 years, O'Kelley grew AppNexus into a global ad-tech powerhouse, serving advertisers and publishers worldwide. But what truly set him apart was his approach to company culture. O'Kelley emphasized learning, inclusion, and empowerment, nurturing an environment where employees could thrive and innovate. According to Fortune, AppNexus became known not only for its technology but also for its values-driven culture—something rare in the high-stakes tech industry. W hen AT&T acquired AppNexus in 2018, O'Kelley made headlines for his unusual approach to the proceeds. He kept less than $100 million for personal use and donated the rest. As he told Fortune, billionaires with yachts, private islands, and extreme wealth are 'obnoxious,' as such excess can distance individuals from reality and human experience. For O'Kelley, true success is measured by impact, not ostentation. Waybridge and Scope3 : Purpose-driven ventures After AppNexus, O'Kelley continued to pursue mission-driven entrepreneurship. In 2019, he co-founded Waybridge, a collaborative platform that tracks commodities from mining through manufacturing. By enabling companies to monitor their supply chains, Waybridge promotes transparency and sustainability, helping businesses make ethical, environmentally-conscious decisions. In 2022, O'Kelley co-founded Scope3, a public benefit corporation dedicated to decarbonizing the global economy. Scope3 provides companies with the data and tools needed to measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their supply chains. Through Scope3, O'Kelley combines his technical expertise with a strong environmental mission, demonstrating that entrepreneurship can be a force for systemic change. Beyond tech, O'Kelley has ventured into media as an executive producer at Wonderstruck, blending creative projects with entrepreneurial thinking. This move illustrates how a career can evolve while remaining aligned with personal values and purpose. A philosophy of wealth, responsibility, and impact O'Kelley's approach to wealth is deeply philosophical. He believes that capping personal wealth keeps him accountable, grounded, and connected to everyday life. According to Fortune, he wants his children to appreciate hard work and struggle rather than growing up spoiled by luxury. Extreme wealth, he argues, can alienate people from the realities of life and disconnect them from the consequences of their decisions. For O'Kelley, entrepreneurship isn't just about financial success—it's about creating systems, companies, and initiatives that generate meaningful social and environmental impact. His approach exemplifies conscious capitalism, showing that leaders can combine profitability with purpose.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
"I Don't Believe In Billionaires": CEO Donates Most Of $1.6 Billion Fortune
Brian O'Kelley, the co-founder and former CEO of ad-tech company AppNexus, made headlines after revealing that he gave away the majority of his $1.6 billion earnings from the sale of his company to AT&T in 2018, according to Fortune Magazine. Despite owning a 10% stake in AppNexus, O'Kelley chose to keep less than $100 million for himself and his family, donating the rest to causes they care about. O'Kelley, now 48, said the decision was made after a thoughtful discussion with his wife about how much money was truly "enough". They calculated a comfortable amount, doubled it for security, and gave away the remainder. He explained that his decision was not just about generosity but also about maintaining a grounded lifestyle and staying connected to everyday realities. O'Kelley believes extreme wealth can disconnect people from society and lead to irresponsible spending. He criticises the billionaire lifestyle, private islands, yachts, and luxury excess as unnecessary and "obnoxious", according to Fortune. "I don't believe in billionaires. I think it's just ridiculous," the serial entrepreneur exclusively told Fortune, adding that he kept less than $100 million from his 10% stake in the startup after it was acquired. Currently leading a new startup focused on tracking supply chain emissions, Scope3, O'Kelley says he has no plans to ever become a billionaire, even if his next venture succeeds. He also shared concerns about raising his children with too much luxury, wanting them to experience life with limits and values. In a world where the number of billionaires is growing rapidly, O'Kelley's actions stand in sharp contrast. He believes true wealth should come with accountability, and that living with financial boundaries keeps people honest and responsible.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Backed by Scope3 CEO, Classify Emerges from Stealth, Revolutionizing Adtech with AI-Powered Contextual Targeting
AI-Native Platform Offers Precise Contextual Targeting and "Data as a Service" Products with Esteemed Advisory Board SAN FRANCISCO, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Classify, the AI-native platform designed to transform digital advertising through deep semantic classification, precise contextual targeting, and seamless curation, launched today out of stealth mode and announced its advisory board of advertising industry veterans. Backed by Brian O'Kelley, Co-Founder and CEO at Scope3, and launching as a key partner in Scope3's agentic AI platform, Classify addresses the evolving needs of the adtech industry amidst regulatory shifts and a demand for privacy-centric solutions. Founded by former Facebook executive Brendan Norman and a team of seasoned experts, Classify boasts a leadership team with deep expertise in AI/ML, data science, publisher monetization, and data privacy. Co-Founders include CTO Nick Ross, Ph.D. (formerly of the University of Chicago's Data Science Clinic and The Meta), CPO Rory Partalis (formerly Amazon and Pandora), and founding technology and data advisor Michael Misiewicz (formerly of AppNexus). Classify's advisory board and angel investors include industry veterans Brian O'Kelley, Sean Fannan (Chartboost), Andrei Dunca (Bluefish AI, LiveRail), Mark Robinson (DeltaDNA), Dilpesh Parmar (Aequus), Duncan Haberly (The Meta), Rob Wilson (Allegiant Air), and Joe Floyd (Emergence Capital). "Existing contextual systems rely on outdated technology. They're often inaccurate and lack customization, making them ripe for disruption. As privacy laws change, cookies disappear, and addressability decreases, behavioral targeting becomes costly and less effective. AI is smart enough and fast enough to help solve a lot of those shortcomings, and Classify is leading that transformation,' said O'Kelley. 'With its AI-powered technology, Classify is helping revolutionize how brands approach targeting, offering a better way to reach engaged audiences while navigating privacy regulations." Classify offers two key "data wrapped as a service" products powered by its AI-native technology, including ContentGraph™, a proprietary AI-native content classification and curation engine built with deep comprehension and sentiment analysis, unbound by traditional adtech limitations like taxonomies. Having scraped and classified most of the open web, ContentGraph™ instantly builds hyper-precise URL-level contextual segments. They provide standard and custom page-level segments, sold on a CPM/POM basis to advertisers, media buyers, and curation platforms. Classify also offers deep content classification to publishers, SSPs, and data platforms on a recurring revenue model. Classify's contextual segments can be accessed across most DSPs through PMP by connecting with the Classify team. 'The intersection of regulatory upheaval, technological readiness, and advertiser desperation has created a rare window of opportunity. It is our mission to ensure the world's content is searchable, organized, and monetizable while respecting privacy, ' said Norman. 'Our AI-powered ContentGraph™ delivers precision without compromising on privacy. Launching now positions Classify as a category leader, capitalizing on immediate budget reallocations and experimentation.' As the company continues to scale, it will further expand its distribution network by integrating into additional platforms, ensuring widespread availability of its contextual segments. About ClassifyClassify aims to make the world's content searchable, organized, and monetizable in a privacy safe way. The company revolutionizes adtech with AI-native, data-wrapped services offering high-margin contextual segments for advertisers and deep content classification for publishers. Classify's AI-native ContentGraph™ engine uses deep comprehension and lookalike modeling for advanced content classification and curation. This enables rapid creation of precise URL-level contextual segments by classifying extensive web content and product pages, integrating into a major SSP, and achieving leading industry results. Classify is well-positioned for rapid growth. The company is led by a team of adtech and AI/ML experts with professional backgrounds from leading media and advertising companies, including Brendan Norman, Nick Ross, Ph.D., Rory Partalis, and Michael Misiewicz and enables advertisers to reach engaged audiences with relevant ads while addressing brand safety and overcoming traditional targeting limitations. For more information, please visit, Press ContactKITE HILL for Classifyclassify@
Martechvibe
17-03-2025
- Business
- Martechvibe
Scope3 unveils Agentic Media Platform
Amazon DSP is the first demand-side platform to integrate with Scope3's Agentic Media Platform, allowing for large-scale media purchases. Topics News Share Share Scope3 unveils Agentic Media Platform Whatsapp Linkedin Scope3 has unveiled the Scope3 Agentic Media Platform, an AI-powered solution designed to help partners create and market agentic media products that prioritise efficiency and sustainability from the ground up. The Scope3 Agentic Media Platform leverages AI to streamline the media supply chain, delivering more efficient, sustainable, and brand-safe advertising. Unlike traditional systems that simply add AI on top, this platform is built with AI at its core, enabling true sustainable growth. Publishers, ad tech platforms, curators, and agencies can harness expert AI agents and custom algorithms to enhance media buying for brands. The Agentic Media Platform offers a central hub to create and manage AI-driven media products. It connects data, expert agents, and custom algorithms across various campaigns and direct buys. The platform integrates with experts like LiveRamp, Classify, and Compliant for specialised data and algorithms. It ensures safe and sustainable media by automatically filtering out fraud, invalid traffic, and risky inventory. Additionally, users can access Scope3's media quality data, such as attention potential and viewability, at no extra cost. ALSO READ: Amazon DSP is the first demand-side platform to integrate with Scope3's Agentic Media Platform, allowing for large-scale media purchases. Other launch distribution partners include Index Exchange, Equativ, and Pilot programs with MiQ, Elcano, and Azerion are set to begin in early April. Scope3's Brand Standards, built on the Agentic Media Platform, enhance brand safety and suitability in an AI-driven advertising landscape. It addresses the flaws of traditional methods, such as rigid keyword blocking and lack of supply chain transparency, by offering custom definitions and control across open web and programmatic channels. Using AI, it improves compliance, responsibility, and effectiveness while minimising risk. The platform ensures ads flow through verified, transparent paths and allows brands and publishers to assess content alignment with brand standards, adjusting through a feedback-driven process for continuous improvement. Available across platforms, including Meta, Brand Standards reduces false blocking and enhances ad placement control. Launch partners include Ebiquity, key DSPs, and multiple SSPs. 'The digital ad ecosystem has evolved into a complex web of inefficient supply chains, wasted impressions, and disconnected systems. AI is our opportunity to address the fundamental inefficiencies in how our media supply chains operate,' said Brian O'Kelley, CEO and Co-Founder of Scope3. 'This reimagining allows us to simultaneously address waste, safety, and performance challenges—restoring control to brands while enabling sustainable growth by design. We're not just solving for carbon reduction anymore; we're also transforming how media decisions are made across the entire ecosystem, bringing intelligence to places it simply couldn't exist before,' he added. Meanwhile, June Cheung, head of JAPAC at Scope3, also commented, 'What the industry needs now is greater transparency from tech platforms—and even when that's achieved, we need scalable and effective ways to execute. That's why the Scope3 Agentic Media Platform is designed to give marketers both transparency and control, enabling them to fine-tune and understand decision-making within the platform. With today's launch, we have the opportunity to reimagine the ad ecosystem for the future in an effective and sustainable way.' ALSO READ:
