Cognitive Networks Lands $14.5m Investment

Cognitive Networks, which provides automatic content recognition (ACR) for Smart TVs, has completed a $14.5m Series B financing round, which it will use to expand its platform to enable viewers to see contextually-relevant content running in synch with related TV programs.

San Francisco-based Cognitive Networks has developed an ENGAGE API, to allow Smart TVs to launch applications that are intelligently synchronized with live or time-shifted television. In addition, its ACR powers a big data platform that can be used for media buying, selling, measurement and targeting of both advertising and content.

Investors in the new funding round include new participants Hearst Ventures and two undisclosed partners, along with existing investors Rogers Venture Partners and DCM Ventures.

CEO Michael Collette (pictured) comments: 'Content recognition produces vast, detailed, real-time data that can be used to measure, target and optimize TV advertising and content in powerful new ways. This latest round of financing will fuel continued enhancements of our ACR platform to meet the scaling and performance expectations of our customers.'

Web site: www.cognitivenetworks.com .