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Opera Software launches ad platform arm
MUMBAI: Norwegian-based Opera Software has announced the launch of its fully-owned subsidiary, Opera Mediaworks.
The subsidiary will focus on providing advertising, content distribution and monetisation services to the global mobile marketplace.
Opera Mediaworks claims to service more than 80,000 mobile sites and mobile applications, managing more than 50 Billion ad impressions per month and enabling more than $400 million of publisher revenue in 2012.
Making use of a variety of ad technology platforms and Opera’s mobile browsers, Opera Mediaworks is expanding Opera’s brand and presence, enabling a more open and efficient marketplace among mobile publishers and advertisers.
Opera Mediaworks enables brands to reach their target audiences while making it possible for consumers to find, use and purchase the mobile content and services most relevant to their interests.
Additionally, the company has also announced the launch of a new performance-based mobile advertising platform called Opera Mediaworks Performance, which provides advertisers with comprehensive tools to better reach their target audience and acquire new customers.
Based on the idea that mobile advertising should entice consumers to connect directly with the advertiser, Opera Mediaworks Performance facilitates real-time targeting and reporting on mobile ad campaigns.
Opera Mediaworks offers four service areas targeting advertisers, publishers, mobile operators and others that participate in the mobile economy. The services are- Ad mediation and Ad exchange services, Mobile ad agency and networks, Opera Mobile Store and Opera Payment Exchange (OPX).
With AdMarvel and Opera Mediaworks Ad Exchange, the advertising ecosystem can easily harness ad-mediation, ad-serving and real-time-bidding (RTB) technologies that bring everyone in the mobile advertising value chain to one common marketplace and participate in a public or private exchange, with increased transparency and control of advertising placement, the company said in a press statement.
According to Opera, Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising are two of the leading premium mobile advertising networks spanning North America and Europe. Going beyond clicks and management offerings to advertisers, they enable some of the largest global brands to deliver rich media campaigns that engage and immerse mobile consumers.
Opera Mobile Store is a multi-platform app store which is accessible from any web-enabled phone; it offers a highly flexible white-label app-store solution for mobile operators, as well as handset manufacturers and distributors.
Meanwhile, OPX is a payment-enablement solution that reduces friction for mobile publishers, payment providers and mobile operators, while building trust towards consumers. OPX allows operators and storefronts to gain merchandising intelligence and lower costs and to monetise their offerings.
Opera Mediaworks EVP for consumer mobile for Opera Software and CEO Mahi de Silva said, “Opera has worked hard and smart to bring together a stellar portfolio of products and solutions to service all the various players in the mobile ecosystem. We are proud to launch the Opera Mediaworks brand to simplify our offering as the world’s largest mobile ad platform.”
Applications
Canva acquires animation and AI startups Cavalry and MangoAI
The deals strengthen Canva’s push into enterprise and AI-led design workflows
AUSTRALIA: Global visual communication platform Canva has stepped up its acquisition drive, buying UK-based 2D animation platform Cavalry and US-based AI startup MangoAI to deepen its AI-powered creative stack.
Cavalry, whose tools are used by brands including Amazon, Meta, Google and Netflix, will strengthen Canva’s motion design capabilities. The deal builds on Canva’s 2024 acquisition of Affinity, which has crossed four million downloads since launch. With Cavalry, Canva now counts seven Europe-based acquisitions, underscoring its global expansion strategy.
MangoAI, an early-stage startup focused on video advertising optimisation, will integrate its reinforcement learning systems into Canva AI. The move aims to enable brands to generate personalised marketing content in real time, cutting production cycles while improving campaign performance. MangoAI co-founder Vinith Misra will join Canva as reinforcement learning lead in its research lab.
Canva co-founder and chief operating officer Cliff Obrecht said the acquisitions reflect the company’s ambition to make professional-grade creative tools more accessible without sidelining human creativity. The goal, he said, is to bring everything from vector to motion design into a single, integrated suite.
The company now reports 265 million active users, including 31 million paid subscribers, and $4 billion in annualised revenue, up 36 per cent year on year. The latest buys further position Canva against rivals such as Adobe and Apple’s Creator Studio as it pushes deeper into enterprise workflows.
Canva head of pro design marketing Liam Fisher, said AI is intended to act as a creative assistant rather than a replacement, reinforcing the primacy of craft and individual design judgement.
