In the realm of digital advertising, managing investments across various media channels is essential. This process, known as ad operations, aims to meticulously measure, track, and optimize expenditure to guarantee that advertisers connect with their intended audience through the most effective ads. Much of the work is process-oriented and repetitious across different campaigns. PilotDesk is an ads operations platform that leverages automation, machine learning, and AI to streamline ad campaigns. Its intuitive no-code interface allows for swift setup, empowering users to automate routine administrative tasks such as campaign setup, budget tracking, optimization, and reporting, freeing up resources for higher-value strategic items. The founders of PilotDesk are no strangers to the advertising industry; they previously built a sophisticated video ad-serving solution – SpringServe and this business focuses on streamlining the many workflow challenges they faced.
AlleyWatch caught up with PilotDesk CEO Joe Hirsch to learn more about the business, the company’s strategic plans, recemt round of funding, and much, much more…
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
To date, PilotDesk has secured over $3M Seed funding from a syndicate of investors led by Ardent Venture Partners, including SpotX Cofounders Mike Shehan and Steve Swoboda (Roster Capital) and AperiamVentures.
Tell us about the product or service that PilotDesk offers.
PilotDesk’s mission is straightforward: to utilize the latest in automation, machine learning, and AI technology to significantly enhance ad operations, thereby boosting both revenue and efficiency. In doing so, PilotDesk is reshaping the norms within advertising operations, setting the stage for scalable and adaptable solutions that drive innovation and revenue growth across the adtech industry.
What inspired the start of PilotDesk?
PilotDesk’s principal cofounders — myself, Matt Dearborn, and Rich Lin — are long-time collaborators. PilotDesk is the second business we have cofounded together. When we launched our first venture – SpringServe – it was rare that a client ever used the platform to its full potential. That is because ad operations professionals are bogged down with busy work. PilotDesk solves this problem, by allowing ad ops professionals to limit their repetitive tasks, enabling publishers to scale their ad revenue and improve margins without increasing the cost of ad operations.
How is PilotDesk different?
PilotDesk distinguishes itself with a no-code platform, making it accessible without technical expertise. It integrates directly with existing user APIs, enabling simultaneous operations across multiple adtech platforms without needing individual partnership deals. Further, PilotDesk charges a subscription fee, providing a straightforward pricing model that frees up ad operations teams to focus on more innovative and strategic tasks and allows enterprise-level clients to easily predict our costs and prove ROI quickly.
What market does PilotDesk target and how big is it?
PilotDesk’s ideal client has a complex advertising business, a large ad ops and/or account management team, and a desire to flatline opex and scale revenue. Our first wave of target customers includes large publishers, streaming/TV companies, OEMs, agency holding companies, and adtech platforms.
What’s your business model?
PilotDesk integrates with the user’s API, or application programming interface, meaning it can work across any platform without us having to engage in lengthy partnership negotiations with each individual platform company. By making the mutual clients of our platform partners more efficient, it inherently leads to those platforms becoming more sticky and valuable which is incredibly unique in this ecosystem. PilotDesk charges customers a subscription fee to use the service.
How are you preparing for a potential economic slowdown?
We understand the importance of being resilient in the face of economic uncertainty. Our platform is designed to enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs, which becomes even more critical during economic slowdowns when marketing budgets are especially constrained.
By automating repetitive tasks and enabling new complex strategies that were previously too time-consuming to set up and manage, we help our clients optimize their resources and focus on revenue-generating activities. Internally, we prioritize investments that drive long-term value and innovation. We are committed to supporting our clients through challenging times by providing tools that enhance their productivity and financial performance.
What was the funding process like?
The funding process was both rigorous and exciting. Our team has a history of success with SpringServe, and that track record certainly helped gain investor confidence. We reconnected with key players from our past endeavors, such as Mike Shehan, former CEO of SpotX, who is now a CEO Partner at Ardent. Mike had been impressed with our work at SpringServe and strongly recommended us to Ardent. This established relationship was crucial as it provided a strong foundation of trust and recognition of our technical expertise and strategic vision. Overall, the involvement of esteemed industry veterans in our venture is a testament to the strength of our team, the innovation of our product, and the clarity of our vision.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
The biggest challenge was differentiating PilotDesk in a crowded adtech market. We had to clearly demonstrate how our no-code, AI-driven platform uniquely transforms ad operations by automating repetitive tasks. Additionally, showcasing the scalability of our solution and its seamless integration with various adtech platforms required careful planning.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
First and foremost, our team’s proven track record with SpringServe demonstrated our technical prowess and strategic vision. Our investors, particularly those familiar with our previous successes, knew we could execute effectively.
Additionally, our mission to create and dominate a new category in ad operations automation aligned perfectly with Ardent’s investment thesis of backing category leaders. The immediate need for efficiency in ad operations and our innovative AI-driven solution showcased a clear and compelling market opportunity. Our ability to significantly enhance operational efficiency and free up ad ops teams to focus on creative and strategic tasks further solidified their confidence in our vision and execution capabilities.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
We aim to further enhance our platform’s AI capabilities to automate even more complex tasks, expand our customer base, and enable additional strategic platform partners. We also plan to roll out new features based on user feedback to continuously improve the user experience. Another key milestone is optimizing our go-to-market strategy to accelerate adoption across our target industries. Finally, we intend to track and measure the success of our products with early adopters to gather case studies and testimonials that showcase our impact.
We aim to further enhance our platform’s AI capabilities to automate even more complex tasks, expand our customer base, and enable additional strategic platform partners. We also plan to roll out new features based on user feedback to continuously improve the user experience. Another key milestone is optimizing our go-to-market strategy to accelerate adoption across our target industries. Finally, we intend to track and measure the success of our products with early adopters to gather case studies and testimonials that showcase our impact.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Prioritize initiatives that directly impact revenue growth and customer satisfaction. Leverage technology to enhance productivity. Focus on investors who are familiar with the nuances of your given industry. Lastly, staying agile and adaptable will help you navigate uncertainties more effectively.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
The immediate focus is enhancing our platform’s capabilities so that it not only suggests automation tasks for users but also makes decisions on their behalf. Our goal is to refine and expand the platform’s AI functionalities to increase efficiency and reduce the operational burden on all kinds of ad operations professionals.
What’s your favorite summer destination in and around the city?
It’s hard to beat summertime in the Hamptons. The beaches are gorgeous, the food is amazing, and it’s so peaceful. Plus, it’s not far from the city. It’s the perfect place to relax and hang out with family and friends.
