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New SSP combines premium publisher relationships, CTV-specific technology and content-level signals to address fragmentation in streaming advertising
Starling has launched as a new supply-side platform (SSP) built specifically for connected television, aiming to address fragmentation, limited transparency, and inconsistent audience and content signals across the CTV advertising ecosystem.
Backed by MBL Partners and strategic investors, Starling brings together technology, publisher relationships, and an executive team with experience across television, media, advertising technology, and programmatic infrastructure.
Building Infrastructure for CTV Advertising
Starling enters a CTV market where billions of dollars in advertising are transacted across platforms originally developed for other forms of digital media.
The company says this has contributed to fragmented infrastructure and limited visibility into the content, programs, and audiences associated with individual CTV impressions.
Rather than adapting desktop or mobile advertising infrastructure for streaming, Starling says its platform was built around characteristics specific to television, including premium video, live programming, program-level intelligence, audience signals, and transaction-level transparency.
Three Priorities for CTV Supply
Starling has identified three areas it says will guide the development of its platform:
- Intelligence: Making more content, program, and audience signals available for advertisers to use when planning and optimizing campaigns.
- Authenticity: Providing visibility into where advertising appeared, including show- and program-level reporting.
- Innovation: Bringing emerging CTV formats such as pause ads, home-screen placements, and interactive experiences into programmatic buying.
The company says these capabilities are intended to give advertisers more detailed information about campaign delivery while helping publishers capture greater value from their inventory.
Content-Level Signals and Premium Inventory
Starling’s platform uses content and program-level information to provide buyers with additional context around CTV impressions.
The company says publishers passing content signals have seen higher CPMs, while advertisers can receive reporting down to the show and program level.
Starling also provides access to premium inventory, including live sports, major programming events, and other high-value viewing environments. Its publisher relationships include Xumo.
Mike Gammone, Senior Director of Ad Sales at Xumo, said the partnership is intended to help advertisers make more informed media investment decisions while maintaining access to premium content and audiences at scale.
Experienced CTV Leadership
Starling will be led by Executive Chair and Acting Chief Executive Michael Bassik, who will work with a leadership team spanning television, advertising technology, media, and programmatic infrastructure.
MBL Partners Operating Partner Sean Miller will serve as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Reshmi Nair, previously a senior engineering executive at Magnite, joins as Chief Technology Officer, while Wil Danielson, formerly SVP of Business Planning and Sales at Nexstar Media Group, will serve as Chief Revenue Officer.
The leadership team will oversee Starling’s continued investment in technology, publisher partnerships, and new CTV capabilities.
Focus on the Next Generation of CTV Infrastructure
Starling’s launch comes as advertisers seek greater accountability and more detailed audience and content intelligence from connected-TV campaigns.
The company is positioning its SSP around the idea that individual CTV impressions contain substantially more information than traditional programmatic systems typically activate. By making more of those signals available and providing greater visibility into campaign delivery, Starling aims to connect premium television inventory with more data-driven programmatic buying.
The company plans to continue expanding its publisher relationships and technology as it develops its CTV advertising infrastructure.
