Roku to Buy Customer Intelligence Specialist dataxu

In the US, streaming platform and device specialist Roku is to acquire customer analytics firm dataxu, which allows marketers to plan and buy video ad campaigns. The deal is valued at $150m in cash and shares of Roku common stock.

Boston-based dataxu helps marketing and media professionals connect with real people across all channels, including TV - presenting data on markets, audiences and performance while flagging up the most important audiences to connect with more personally.

Roku says the buy will complement its own OTT advertising platform, enabling it to provide marketers with a single, data-driven software solution to plan, buy and optimize their ad spend across TV and OTT providers. dataxu's team of software engineering, data science and analytics professionals will now work with new and existing marketers on Roku's advertising platform.

Mike Baker (pictured), co-founder and CEO of dataxu, comments: 'We are very excited to join Roku's Platform Business. Roku is gaining a team with great expertise and experience, including a remarkable group of innovators who know their way around data and analytics. We see a future where Roku is using dataxu solutions to put industry-best data, premium inventory and measurement tools in the hands of advertisers'.

Web sites: www.roku.com and www.dataxu.com .