Former DoubleClick Executives Create Startup

Freewheel, a startup company created by three DoubleClick alums and digital media veterans, is launching its own brand of monetization rights management technology.

Responding to the increasingly complex world of video distribution, the company offers content owners, carriers and distributors end-to-end video ad management technology, attempting to simplify the management of video ad sales, ad serving and ad sales rights across widely syndicated distribution channels.

"Our job is to help clients solve today's billion-dollar questions: 'Who sells the ads on videos, no matter where they're played?' and 'Who gets paid how much?" explained Co-CEO Doug Knopper.

Web TV company Joost has jumped in, along with digital studio NextNewNetworks and Jumpstart Automotive Media, which is owned by Hachette Filipacchi.

"Joost works with multiple content providers and distributors, which creates operational challenges and complex advertising relationships," said David Clark, Joost's executive vice president and general manager.

"Our MRM solution enables maximum revenue for all of the partners across a widely syndicated advertising ecosystem," added Knopper, who is leading the company with Co-CEO Jon Heller.

Freewheel's MRM also is a single platform for clients to manage advertising across all their syndication relationships.

"Building a large audience in an online video world requires super-syndication, which in turn changes the game for online advertising management," Heller said. "With Freewheel's MRM technology in place, content owners can freely syndicate their content while still keeping control over their advertising relationships, inventory management and financial revshare accounting."