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InMobi
InMobi
InMobi
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InMobi (formerly mKhoj) is an Indian multinational technology company, based in Bangalore.[6][7][8] Originally an SMS-based search engine, it now operates a mobile-first platform to enable contextual mobile advertising.[9]

Key Information

The company was founded in 2007 under the name mKhoj by Naveen Tewari, Mohit Saxena, Amit Gupta and Abhay Singhal.[10] In 2008, it transitioned from being a SMS-based search engine to mobile advertising and rebranded as InMobi. In 2011, InMobi became the first Indian unicorn startup company.[11] It has 22 offices in 12 countries across 5 continents and employs around 2,500 people.[12][13]

The company is backed by Soft Bank, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Ram Shriram's Sherpalo Ventures.[9][14] It raised a total of US$215.6 million in three rounds of funding – US$0.5 million in 2007, US$7.1 million in Series A funding in 2008, US$8 million in Series B funding in 2010, US$200 million in Series C funding in 2011.[9]

History

[edit]

InMobi started in 2007, when it was known as mKhoj (mobile khoj), providing SMS-based search engine services.[12] The launch followed its first round of funding of $500,000 USD was from Mumbai Angels in August 2006.[citation needed] It was started by the four founders out of a residential apartment in Bangalore.[15]

The founders later felt the need to rebrand to InMobi as the company shifted focus from mobile search to mobile advertising. "InMobi" was also thought to be easier to pronounce in English as compared to mKhoj – which is a derivative of the Hindi word for "search".[16] The company initially operated in emerging markets in Asia and Africa, before expanding to the US in 2009.[17] After rebranding the company from mKhoj to InMobi, they received Series A funding of $7.1 million USD from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 2008, and Series B funding to the tune of $8 Million USD in 2010.[18]

In 2011, the start-up raised $200 million USD from Softbank Group. The investment was doled out in two tranches, US$100 million in 2011 and the rest in 2012.[19]

In August 2011, InMobi acquired US-based mobile advertising provider Sprout, which was backed by Polaris Partners. Sprout, which provided the platform for creating HTML5 rich media advertising, was renamed InMobi Studio in 2012.[20][21] In July 2012, InMobi acquired MMTG Labs, a San Francisco-based start-up that operates Facebook apps marketplace Appbistro as well as white label app distribution platform AppGalleries. Per TechCrunch, the new platform AppGallery was the reason for InMobi acquisition of MMTG.[22][23]

InMobi launched its native advertising platform in 2014.[24][25] In 2015, InMobi launched a new remarketing and discovery platform called Miip.[26][27]

In September 2015, InMobi entered a monetisation partnership with China-based APUS group, which allows users to customise their android screens. The partnership provides the company access to an estimated 500 million users in China as well as exclusive access to all APUS users in India.[28][29]

According to sources, InMobi laid off approximately 10 per cent of its workforce in April 2016, due to the company reeling under losses of US$45.5 million in 2014-15 and US$40.91 million in 2015–16 in a bid to show profitability.[18] The company also saw major attrition in their senior management during this phase.[30] InMobi has refuted the claims, by stating that they added 184 full employees in 2016 and their voluntary attrition rates are lower than the industry average with 80% of the executive team at InMobi has an average tenure of more than four years.[31]

In Jan 2018, InMobi acquired Los Angeles based Aerserv for US$90 Million in cash and stock to create the world's largest programmatic video platform for mobile publishers; making it InMobi's fifth and largest acquisition till date.[32][33] In November 2019, InMobi's Glance[34] (the mobile content platform and part of the InMobi Group) acquired short video content platform Roposo.[35]

See also

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References

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InMobi

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from Grokipedia
InMobi is an Indian multinational technology company specializing in , platforms, and consumer technology solutions. Founded in 2007 as mKhoj in , , by Naveen Tewari, Abhay Singhal, Mohit Saxena, Amit Gupta, and Piyush Shah, it pivoted to its current focus on in 2009 and is headquartered in Bangalore. The company operates as a leading provider of enterprise platforms for marketers, offering cutting-edge mobile and connected (CTV) advertising technologies that enable brands, developers, and publishers to engage global consumers through data-driven, solutions. Its core mission is to transform consumer interactions with mobile and CTV surfaces into meaningful connections, blending with human creativity to redefine digital experiences across , , and . InMobi's flagship offerings include the InMobi Platform, a comprehensive suite for in-app , programmatic buying via the InMobi (Demand-Side Platform), and monetization tools like the InMobi Exchange and mediation platform; it also encompasses consumer platforms such as Glance (a content discovery service launched in 2019 with over 100 million daily active users by 2020, and over 200 million monthly active users as of 2024), Roposo (a video shopping and entertainment app acquired in 2019), Nostra (an online gaming platform), and 1Weather (a weather application). Key milestones include achieving status in 2011 following a $200 million investment from SoftBank, expanding to over 1 billion mobile devices by 2015, launching the world's first programmatic mobile ad exchange in 2014, and earning IAB () certification in 2016. InMobi has been recognized multiple times for innovation, including placements on MIT Technology Review's 50 Disruptive Companies list in 2013 and CNBC's Disruptor 50 list in 2019, underscoring its role as a pioneer in mobile-first digital ecosystems. As of 2025, InMobi is preparing for an in , targeting a valuation of up to $10 billion.

History

Founding and Early Development

InMobi was founded in 2007 in , , under the name mKhoj by Naveen Tewari, Mohit Saxena, Amit Gupta, Abhay Singhal, and Piyush Shah. The company initially launched as an SMS-based mobile , capitalizing on the prevalence of feature phones in a market where was severely limited. At the time, 's internet penetration stood at around 3-4%, with most mobile users relying on basic rather than data services. Facing these constraints in the Indian mobile market, mKhoj concentrated on SMS-delivered local search services tailored to user needs, such as ringtones, logos, and scores, which aligned with the popularity of short-form content on low-end devices. This approach addressed the lack of widespread and helped the startup gain early traction by solving immediate information gaps without requiring connectivity. The founders recognized the potential for mobile growth but encountered hurdles like low data affordability and device limitations, prompting a strategic reevaluation. In 2009, the company rebranded to InMobi to signify its pivot toward a global platform, moving beyond to leverage emerging mobile internet capabilities. This shift was supported by initial funding, including a $500,000 seed round in 2007 from angel investors and a $7.1 million Series A in 2008 led by Caufield & Byers. The rebranding enabled the launch of its core product as a mobile ad network, designed specifically for emerging markets with low-data environments, where it facilitated on basic mobile sites.

Growth and Unicorn Achievement

Following its rebranding and early product launches, InMobi experienced significant expansion in the early 2010s, driven by strategic funding rounds that enabled global scaling. In July 2010, the company raised $8 million in Series B funding from existing investors Caufield & Byers and Sherpalo Ventures, aimed at accelerating platform development and entering new markets like . This capital infusion supported operational growth and enhanced capabilities for developers and brands. The pivotal moment came in September 2011, when InMobi secured $200 million in Series C funding from SoftBank, in two tranches of $100 million each, valuing the company at $1 billion and establishing it as India's first startup. This investment, one of the largest in the mobile internet sector at the time, fueled aggressive international outreach and technological advancements. By late 2011, InMobi's platform had grown to reach over 340 million consumers across 165 countries, delivering more than 47 billion monthly ad impressions and demonstrating its dominance as the world's largest independent mobile ad network. As part of its diversification efforts, InMobi launched Miip in July 2015, a discovery and remarketing platform featuring an interactive animated character to enhance for brands beyond traditional . Designed for mobile apps, Miip enabled personalized product recommendations and integrations, partnering initially with retailers like Amazon.in to bridge and consumer discovery in markets like . Operational scaling during 2012–2015 further solidified InMobi's global footprint, with expanded offices in key markets including the (San Francisco headquarters), (London), and Asia (Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo). These locations supported talent acquisition and localized strategies, growing the workforce and ad network to serve diverse regions amid rising mobile adoption.

Recent Milestones and Diversification

In the late 2010s, InMobi began diversifying its portfolio beyond core mobile advertising by launching Glance in 2019, a lock screen-based content discovery platform that delivers personalized news, entertainment, and commerce experiences directly to users' smartphones without requiring app downloads. This innovation marked a strategic pivot toward consumer-facing technologies, leveraging AI to curate content and reduce reliance on traditional ad formats. By 2024, Glance was available on over 450 million smartphones across markets including India, the United States, and Japan, with approximately 200-300 million active users, thereby establishing InMobi as a key player in the "screen zero" economy where lock screens serve as primary content gateways. InMobi's innovative trajectory earned it significant industry accolades during this period. In 2018, the company was ranked No. 3 among Fast Company's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in , recognized for its advancements in and data-driven . The following year, InMobi secured the 12th position on CNBC's 2019 Disruptor 50 list, highlighting its role in revolutionizing content delivery and advertising through platforms like Glance. A pivotal financial milestone came in fiscal year 2023 (ending March 2023), when InMobi achieved a net profit of $41 million, a turnaround supported by robust growth in its diversified segments. This profitability was largely propelled by Glance's expansion, which saw 77% revenue growth to approximately $38.7 million, fueled by strong user adoption in key markets such as the , , and . In September 2024, InMobi secured $100 million in debt financing from MARS Growth Capital to support acquisitions and growth. In May 2025, the company announced plans to invest $200 million in its AI commerce platform and generative AI ad tech stack ahead of an IPO. Looking ahead, as of November 2025, InMobi plans an in late 2025 at a group level, while Glance is expected to achieve profitability in FY25 with a potential separate IPO thereafter. This move aligns with broader diversification efforts, positioning Glance for independent scaling while complementing InMobi's adtech foundations.

Products and Services

Core Mobile Advertising Platform

InMobi's core mobile advertising platform is a cloud-based system designed for programmatic delivery of mobile ads, supporting (RTB) and functioning as a (DSP) to enable advertisers to purchase inventory across multiple sources. Launched in following the company's pivot from an SMS-based service, the platform initially focused on mobile ad networks before expanding into full programmatic capabilities. In 2014, InMobi introduced formats to integrate ads seamlessly into app environments, minimizing user disruption while maintaining engagement. This innovation included a dedicated native ads platform that adapts creative assets across publishers and a programmatic exchange powered by Rubicon Project for scalable distribution. The platform supports a range of ad types, including display banners, video, and interactive formats, optimized for both and Android ecosystems through SDK integrations. AI-driven targeting leverages data on user location, behavior, device characteristics, and interests to deliver personalized campaigns, with features like the AI layer enhancing full-funnel strategies since 2025. It integrates with over 23,000 app developers and publishers worldwide, facilitating access to premium inventory and serving billions of ad impressions monthly to establish significant scale in the mobile ecosystem. Evolving from its roots, the platform now complements consumer-facing tools like Glance by providing backend ad serving for broader reach.

Glance Content Discovery Platform

Glance is an AI-powered content discovery platform developed by InMobi, launched in 2019 as a experience that delivers personalized news, videos, entertainment, and other content directly to users' smartphones without requiring app downloads. The platform leverages to curate content based on user preferences, location, and behavior, transforming the traditionally static into an interactive feed that integrates seamlessly with the device's operating system. This app-less model enables instant access to bite-sized media, fostering high engagement by capitalizing on the frequent moments users interact with their phones. A key aspect of Glance's growth strategy involves strategic partnerships with major device manufacturers, including , , Vivo, OPPO, and , to pre-install the platform on new Android smartphones. These collaborations have enabled Glance to reach pre-installed on over 450 million devices globally as of 2025, with a strong emphasis on emerging markets such as and where smartphone penetration is rapidly increasing. By embedding directly into hardware, Glance ensures broad accessibility and minimal user friction, positioning it as a default entry point for digital content consumption in high-growth regions. On Samsung devices, users can disable lock screen ads or the "lock screen experience" provided by Glance by opening Settings, navigating to Lock screen or Lock screen and wallpaper, tapping Wallpaper services or Wallpaper and style > Change wallpapers, and selecting None to disable the service. If ads persist, users should check Settings > Apps for Glance or related apps and disable or uninstall them; for carrier-specific issues such as those on Metro, similar steps apply or preinstalled apps like Metro Play may need to be addressed. Glance monetizes through non-intrusive integrated advertising and features, where brands can deliver targeted promotions alongside curated content, and users can make purchases via one-tap actions. The platform has achieved significant scale, with over 300 million monthly active users worldwide as of 2025 and average daily engagement of around 25 minutes per user, reflecting its effectiveness in retaining attention during idle moments. This user-centric approach not only drives content virality but also supports InMobi's broader ecosystem by funneling engaged audiences into its core advertising infrastructure. The platform has expanded into key international markets, including as its primary base, the through enhanced Samsung integrations, and via targeted Android deployments. In these regions, Glance adapts content localization and partnerships to cultural preferences, aiming for sustained growth. InMobi anticipates Glance achieving profitability by 2026, supported by rising revenues from commerce and ads amid its diversification efforts.

Additional Tools and Innovations

InMobi initially operated as mKhoj, a SMS-based search engine launched in 2007 that allowed users to query information via text messages, but the company phased out this service post-2008 to pivot fully toward mobile advertising amid the rise of smartphones and app ecosystems. In 2015, InMobi introduced Miip, a discovery and remarketing platform designed to facilitate brand-consumer interactions by delivering personalized product suggestions, content feeds, and app recommendations across mobile apps, leveraging user to create "mobile moments" for engagement. The platform featured an animated monkey mascot to guide users interactively, but InMobi discontinued this mascot-driven component in 2016 to refine its focus, while continuing elements like remarketing capabilities that supported push notifications and targeted commerce interactions for e-tailers. InMobi's consumer ecosystem also includes other platforms such as , a video shopping and app acquired in 2019 that enables live commerce and short-form video content; Nostra, an online gaming platform launched to provide mobile gaming experiences; and , a weather application offering personalized forecasts and alerts. These tools contribute to InMobi's diversified offerings, with the broader consumer business reaching approximately 350 million active users as of 2025. Following the 2021 deprecation of third-party cookies and Apple's IDFA changes, InMobi advanced privacy-compliant technologies, emphasizing contextual targeting that analyzes device, session, and app content to infer user interests without relying on personal identifiers, thereby maintaining ad in a cookieless environment. A 2022 Forrester study commissioned by InMobi highlighted how such approaches, including AI-driven contextual signals, help mitigate the impact of identity signal loss on effectiveness. InMobi has integrated AI for detection in ad processes, deploying sophisticated algorithms to identify and filter invalid traffic, such as bot activity and sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT), before auctions occur, ensuring advertisers receive genuine . Partnerships, including with in 2021, enhanced pre- and post-bid mitigation, achieving accreditations for detecting hard-to-spot types and reducing wasted ad spend.

Operations

Global Presence and Offices

InMobi is headquartered in Bangalore, , at Embassy Tech Square, and operates 22 offices across 12 countries spanning five continents as of 2025. Its major campuses include locations in and New York in the United States, in the , and in , in , and . Additional offices support operations in key markets such as , , and , with a recent expansion to , , in August 2025, aimed at fostering deep-tech innovation in AI and . The facility is projected to create around 500 direct jobs in deep-tech roles, contributing to over 3,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. The company's global workforce totals approximately 2,500 employees as of 2025, with the largest hubs concentrated in —particularly Bangalore and the new Lucknow facility—and the , where and New York serve as primary centers for sales, engineering, and client services. This distribution reflects InMobi's emphasis on leveraging talent pools in technology-driven regions while maintaining proximity to major markets. InMobi's regional strategies prioritize the area, where it maintains a dominant footprint through localized ad tech solutions and partnerships, driving the bulk of its operations in high-growth mobile markets. The company has expanded in by establishing key offices and integrating capabilities from prior strategic moves, while venturing into emerging markets in and to tap into rising mobile adoption. To address varying regulatory landscapes, InMobi implemented GDPR compliance across its European operations starting May 25, 2018, ensuring data protection standards for users through consent mechanisms and SDK updates.

Leadership and Workforce

InMobi's leadership is anchored by its founder Naveen Tewari, who serves as CEO and drives the company's strategic vision in and consumer technology. Other co-founders include Mohit Saxena, who remains as CTO overseeing technical innovation, while Amit Gupta has exited to pursue other ventures, and Abhay Singhal serves as Co-Founder and CEO of InMobi Advertising. Key executives complement this foundation with specialized expertise in technology and finance. Piyush Shah, a co-founder, acts as President and COO of Glance, leveraging his product development background to advance AI-driven content platforms. Marc Steifman serves as , bringing over two decades of experience in growth-stage companies to manage financial operations and scaling efforts. The company's workforce, numbering approximately 2,500 employees as of 2025 across , , and product teams, fosters a culture centered on and . InMobi emphasizes an open environment that encourages big-picture thinking and complex problem-solving, supported by programs like personalized to accelerate career growth and adaptability. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been a priority since 2020, with initiatives promoting an inclusive where employees can bring their authentic selves. As of recent assessments, women comprise about 44% of the workforce, reflecting efforts to enhance balance through targeted support and cultural programs.

Financial Performance

Funding and Valuation History

InMobi's funding journey began with a seed round of $0.5 million in August 2007, led by Mumbai Angels, providing initial capital for its ambitions. This was followed by a $7.1 million Series A in 2008 from Sherpalo Ventures and , enabling platform expansion. A $8 million Series B came in July 2010, supporting global scaling efforts. The company's breakthrough arrived with a $200 million Series C in September 2011, led by , which valued InMobi at $1 billion and marked it as India's first startup. Subsequent equity infusions included a $5 million Series C extension in December 2014, an undisclosed Series C from in January 2019, and a $45 million Series D from Mithril Capital in September 2019. InMobi also secured debt financing, such as $100 million from Tennenbaum Capital Partners in September 2015 and another $100 million from Mars Growth Capital in September 2024, to fuel operations without diluting equity. Overall, these efforts have amassed approximately $266 million in total funding across nine rounds. Valuation milestones reflect InMobi's growth trajectory. The 2011 SoftBank investment established its status at $1 billion. By 2021, amid plans for a U.S. IPO that were ultimately shelved, the company targeted a valuation of $12 billion to $15 billion. As of late 2025, InMobi is preparing for an Indian IPO targeted for the second half of 2025 with an anticipated valuation of $5-6 billion. Post-2015, InMobi shifted toward profitability and self-sustainability, relying less on frequent raises and opting for targeted debt to support strategic initiatives like AI development. Key long-term investors include and , alongside later participants like Capital and .
RoundDateAmountLead InvestorsValuation
SeedAug 2007$0.5MMumbai Angels-
Series AApr 2008$7.1MSherpalo Ventures, -
Series BJul 2010$8MUndisclosed-
Series CSep 2011$200M$1B
Series C ExtensionDec 2014$5MUndisclosed-
Venture DebtSep 2015$100MTennenbaum Capital Partners-
Series CJan 2019Undisclosed-
Series DSep 2019$45M-
Conventional DebtSep 2024$100MMars Growth Capital-

Revenue, Profitability, and Growth

InMobi's for 2023 (FY23) totaled $281 million, representing a modest increase from $275 million in FY22. The core business accounted for the bulk of this income, comprising approximately 86% of total , while the Glance platform contributed $38.7 million, or about 14%. According to company CEO Naveen Tewari, InMobi has sustained annual growth of around 30% in recent years, driven by expansion in programmatic and diversification into consumer-facing services. For FY24, exceeded $300 million, reflecting continued momentum amid rising mobile ad spend globally. The company achieved its first full year of profitability in 2016, posting a net profit of approximately $10 million in the final quarter following years of heavy investments in and market expansion. Prior to this, InMobi had operated at losses to fuel R&D and global scaling, but operational efficiencies and growth in high-margin markets like — which generate 70-80% of revenue—enabled sustained profitability. In FY23, net profit stood at $41 million, a slight decline from $50 million in FY22, amid ongoing investments; EBITDA margins have shown improvement, reaching positive territory with operational leverage from AI-driven optimizations. Key growth drivers include the scaling of InMobi's advertising platform, which processes billions of ad impressions monthly to connect brands with over 1 billion unique users across devices. The Glance platform has been a major diversification factor, with its revenue surging 89% year-over-year to ₹614 ($73 million) in FY24 and its active user base expanding to 235 million by early 2024, fueled by integrations on Android lock screens in emerging markets like and the . This user growth, alongside personalized content delivery, has boosted engagement and ad , contributing to overall revenue diversification. InMobi maintains a cost structure emphasizing , with significant expenditures on focused on AI, for ad targeting, and platform enhancements—aligning with its $200 million commitment to AI commerce initiatives announced in 2025. These investments, which support advanced tools like for campaigns, have historically represented a substantial portion of operating expenses but are yielding higher efficiency and margins as the company matures.

IPO Plans and Future Outlook

InMobi is preparing for an (IPO) in during the second half of 2025, targeting a valuation of approximately $5-6 billion for its parent company. The firm aims to raise up to $1 billion through the listing, with draft papers expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Board of (SEBI) later in 2025 following delays from earlier plans. This move aligns with InMobi's recent efforts to bolster its balance sheet, including securing a INR 32 funding round from cofounders and investors in July 2025 to support needs ahead of the public debut, as well as seeking a $350 million private loan in September 2025. Additionally, the company is exploring separate IPOs for its core ad-tech business and its subsidiary Glance, with Glance expected to achieve profitability in the coming years. Looking ahead, InMobi's strategic vision emphasizes sustainable expansion in a privacy-first landscape, where it is investing heavily in AI-driven innovations to enhance ad and content discovery without relying on invasive practices. The company has committed $200 million to develop its AI platform within Glance, launching generative AI tools for ad tech by late 2025 to drive more efficient, targeted campaigns. InMobi also sees opportunities in integrations, publishing resources on monetizing experiences through and partnering with platforms to enable in-app ads in immersive environments. These efforts aim to capitalize on the growing mobile ad market, projected to exceed $400 billion globally by 2025, while diversifying revenue streams into content and via Glance's lock-screen platform. Despite these ambitions, InMobi faces risks from market volatility, including economic fluctuations and evolving regulations that could limit targeting capabilities. However, its diversification into AI-powered content and experiences offers a buffer, with Glance expected to match the core business's within two years, potentially reaching parity by 2027. To mitigate regulatory hurdles, InMobi is focusing on SEBI compliance for its listing, ensuring transparency in financial disclosures and structures as it transitions to public markets, including relocating its headquarters to in 2025 for eligibility.

Acquisitions and Partnerships

Key Acquisitions

InMobi's acquisition strategy has focused on bolstering its and content capabilities through targeted buyouts of complementary technologies and platforms. One of the company's earliest significant deals was the acquisition of Sprout, a U.S.-based platform specializing in HTML5-based rich media mobile ads. This purchase enabled InMobi to integrate Sprout's tools for creating and distributing engaging ad formats across its network, reaching consumers in over 165 countries, and was later rebranded as InMobi Studio in 2012 to streamline operations. In 2012, InMobi expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of MMTG Labs, a San Francisco-based startup behind AppBistro—an application marketplace for pages—and AppGalleries, a distribution platform. The deal supported InMobi's global expansion by incorporating MMTG's expertise in app discovery and social integration, allowing for immediate enhancements to its ecosystem through better app promotion tools. A major milestone came in 2018 when InMobi acquired AerServ, a Los Angeles-based mobile platform, for $90 million in cash and stock. This integration combined AerServ's video mediation technology with InMobi's infrastructure to form what was described as the world's largest programmatic video platform for mobile in-app advertising. In 2019, InMobi's subsidiary Glance acquired , an Indian short-video content platform, for an undisclosed amount to enrich its vernacular video offerings. The move granted immediate access to Roposo's network of content creators and its established user base, which grew to over 100 million downloads on Store following the acquisition, thereby strengthening the overall content ecosystem within the InMobi Group. In June 2021, Glance acquired Shop101, a Mumbai-based social e-commerce platform, in a cash-and-stock deal for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition provided end-to-end capabilities for influencer-led live commerce, integrating Shop101's technology, supply chain, and reseller network to expand InMobi's offerings in mobile commerce.

Strategic Investments and Collaborations

InMobi has pursued strategic partnerships with providers to enhance capabilities, particularly through data access and integrated targeting. In 2018, the company entered a broader with Sprint as part of the acquisition of Pinsight Media, Sprint's unit, enabling integrations for carrier billing and audience targeting using Sprint's subscriber data across mobile apps, connected TV, and over-the-top services. This collaboration allowed InMobi to leverage telecom-grade data for precise ad delivery without full ownership transfer, strengthening its position in the U.S. mobile . Collaborations with major technology firms have further expanded InMobi's AI-driven offerings and distribution channels. In February 2025, InMobi's subsidiary Glance partnered with Cloud to integrate generative AI capabilities, including Gemini for intelligence and Imagen for image generation via Vertex AI, into lock screen and ambient TV experiences for millions of users. This integration aims to power personalized consumer interactions, such as AI-enabled commerce features, enhancing InMobi's mobile-first personalization tools. Additionally, starting in 2020, InMobi has collaborated with multiple smartphone original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including , to pre-install Glance as the default on new Android devices; these partnerships resulted in coverage of 60-65% of s sold in as of 2022, facilitating direct content and ad delivery to users without additional downloads. In the realm of minority investments and joint efforts, InMobi has focused on data-sharing alliances in emerging markets. In the , the company formed exclusive partnerships in , such as the collaboration with TalkingData to build a private mobile-first audience platform, combining InMobi's ad tech with TalkingData's analytics for targeted segments over a 24-month exclusivity period. Similar ties with APUS Group enabled monetization access to over 200 million monthly active users for customized Android experiences. These initiatives have bolstered InMobi's ecosystem by improving localized ad relevance and reach in , its second-largest market, contributing to overall platform scalability without equity control. These strategic moves have yielded tangible ecosystem enhancements, such as expanded data pools for better ad targeting and increased publisher integrations, driving InMobi's growth in efficiency.

Controversies

Layoffs and

In April 2016, InMobi laid off approximately 100 employees, representing about 10% of its global headcount of around 1,000, primarily targeting underperforming roles across senior executives and technical staff amid intense competition from and , unmet revenue goals, and high operational costs. These cuts were part of broader efforts to address the company's recent financial losses of $40.91 million in 2015-16 and accumulated deficits exceeding $224 million, with a focus on eliminating experimental initiatives outside its core technology. Post-layoffs, InMobi undertook restructuring to refocus exclusively on its adtech platform, slashing funding for non-core "moonshot" projects such as exploratory ventures and streamlining operations to enhance efficiency. This included scaling back underperforming units and offices, reducing the workforce to about 975 employees by mid-2016, which enabled the company to achieve operational profitability in the final quarter of 2016 and stabilize headcount near 1,000 by 2017 through selective hiring in key areas. In response to the 2016 reductions, InMobi provided severance packages and outplacement assistance to affected staff, while emphasizing internal agility to navigate market challenges. During the in 2020, the company avoided layoffs by implementing salary reductions of up to 10% for senior roles, offset by stock options, alongside a shift toward as part of cost-control measures. In January 2023, InMobi laid off nearly 3% of its workforce, affecting approximately 50-70 employees out of around 2,600, as part of performance-related restructuring. In January 2024, the company announced further layoffs impacting about 5% of its global workforce, or roughly 125 employees out of 2,500, as it adopted an AI-first approach to overhaul operations and enhance efficiency. The restructuring particularly affected roles in the U.K., with over a third of that office's staff impacted, and was framed by the company as necessary to align with technological advancements amid competitive pressures in adtech.

Privacy and Ethical Concerns

In 2015 and 2016, InMobi faced significant scrutiny over its practices when its (SDK) was accused of unauthorized location tracking. The company's advertising software collected geolocation data from hundreds of millions of consumers' mobile devices by detecting nearby networks, even when users had explicitly disabled location services on their devices or apps. This practice bypassed operating system on and Android platforms, allowing InMobi to infer users' locations and deliver targeted ads without consent. Additionally, the SDK gathered data from children under 13 in apps directed at kids, violating the (COPPA) by failing to obtain verifiable parental consent. The U.S. (FTC) investigated these allegations, charging InMobi with deceptive practices under Section 5 of the FTC Act for misrepresenting its data collection methods and with COPPA violations. In June 2016, InMobi settled the case without admitting wrongdoing, agreeing to a $4 million , of which $3.05 million was suspended due to financial constraints, leaving a $950,000 payment. The settlement mandated the deletion of all unlawfully collected location data and prohibited future misrepresentations about data practices. Ethical critiques of InMobi's operations centered on the invasive nature of its behavioral tracking, which relied on persistent identifiers to profile users across apps without transparent options, raising broader concerns about user autonomy and in . Critics argued that such techniques eroded trust by prioritizing ad revenue over , particularly as they enabled cross-app that could reveal sensitive patterns in user movement and interests. These issues prompted InMobi to update its platform in response to evolving regulations like the (CCPA) and Europe's (GDPR), incorporating consent management tools by 2021. In response to the FTC settlement, InMobi established a comprehensive program, including biennial third-party audits of its practices for 20 years to ensure compliance and transparency. By 2022, the company had embedded privacy-by-design principles into its solutions, emphasizing consented signals and frictionless mechanisms via tools like InMobi Choice, a management platform integrated into its SDK for publishers. These measures aimed to align with global standards, though ongoing audits continue to monitor adherence amid rising regulatory scrutiny.

References

  1. https://advertising.inmobi.com/company
  2. https://www.inmobi.com/company/leadership/
  3. https://www.inmobi.com/company/contact
  4. https://tracxn.com/d/companies/inmobi/__KZsV2NgmxzKyvBU2SaNCcDUztUYBp_3HMXgBSHaOoz4
  5. https://www.inmobi.com/
  6. https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/inmobi-s-lock-screen-platform-glance-targets-1-billion-users-by-end-of-2025-124031401047_1.html
  7. https://advertising.inmobi.com/company/press/inmobi-unveils-robust-new-telco-offering-for-mobile-service-providers-around-the-world
  8. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/14/inmobi-2019-disruptor-50.html
  9. https://advertising.inmobi.com/blog/inmobis-business-leaders-in-apac/inmobi-named-as-one-of-the-50-most-disruptive-companies-in-the-world-again
  10. https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/17/inmobi-eyes-10-billion-valuation-in-2025-india-ipo/
  11. https://startuptalky.com/inmobi-success-story/
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