Ad Lightning CEO Scott Moore. (Photo via Ad Lightning)

New funding: Seattle startup Ad Lightning has reeled in $344,000 of a larger round to fuel growth of a new product for privacy compliance.

Company background: Ad Lightning spun out of Seattle-based startup studio Pioneer Square Labs in 2017. It helps online publishers and advertising exchange platforms spot and block programmatic ads that slow down sites and disrupt engagement. The company’s revenue growth slowed last year but has rebounded in recent months, with record business expected for Q1. Total funding to date, including equity and convertible notes, is approximately $7 million.

New product: There are various new privacy standards being rolled out by state and federal regulators. Companies will need to adhere to these new standards. That’s where Ad Lightning sees opportunity. It has figured out a way to use its technology to help companies figure out if their websites are respecting various privacy requirements. Scott Moore, CEO, compared it to a financial audit, but built for privacy.

Competition: There are several other privacy compliance companies, including OneTrust, which acquired Seattle startup Integris last year. Moore said Ad Lightning is unique with its software that lets customers simulate the audience of a website to test compliance.

Founder history: Moore co-founded Ad Lightning with Kate Reinmiller and Drake Callahan. He previously worked as an executive at Microsoft, Yahoo and Cheezburger, where he was COO and CEO of the digital humor network. Reinmiller was previously an exec at Mixpo while Callahan worked at Qpass and Amdocs.

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