Open Market Who's Afraid of Adtech?
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Feb 11, 2026 Founders worrying the 'adtech' label could hurt fundraising get a reality check. The conversation covers how AI is changing advertising, from better ad performance to new ad-supported products. They explore autonomous AI traders, positioning between adtech and other markets, and practical fundraising and rebranding strategies for companies shifting categories.
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Ad Tech’s Checkered Yet Winnable History
- Ad tech has historically been cyclical and hard for generalist investors to pick winners.
- The best founders still find ways to build breakout outcomes despite the category's checkered past.
AI Is Resetting The Ad Tech Market
- AI is reworking both ad infrastructure and advertising itself, creating a unique moment for ad tech.
- This could make being an ad tech company an advantage rather than a liability in 2026.
AI Products Will Recreate Huge Ad Markets
- Massive AI-native consumer products will likely require advertising to subsidize free access.
- That reuse of advertising at scale echoes how Google and Meta grew into ad juggernauts.