If you think mobile gaming ads are as enjoyable as a root canal, you’re not alone. But guess what? Elad Stern, President and co-founder of Odeeo, is here to shake things up—and he’s not asking for permission. In an industry cluttered with intrusive pop-ups and mind-numbing banners, Elad is injecting a fresh dose of audio innovation that’s turning heads (and ears) worldwide.
From Kitchen Table to Global Stage
Let’s rewind to early 2021. Picture Elad and his business partner, Amit Monheit, huddled around Amit’s father-in-law’s kitchen table. Armed with two laptops, a notebook, and what we can only assume was a copious amount of caffeine, they birthed Odeeo. “We had an idea, and we knew the idea was good—but neither of us had ever run a company or raised funding before,” Elad admits. “Still, the mobile advertising industry was screaming for innovation, and we were convinced that we could bring that innovation.”
Fast forward to today, and Odeeo’s technology is integrated with top-charting apps like Crossword Jam, Akinator, and Brain Test. They’ve just snagged a cool $5 million in funding and are expanding faster than a teenager’s TikTok following. Elad himself has hopped across the pond to spearhead their North American invasion. “It’s a very exciting time for us,” he says, probably understating the situation by a mile.
Gaming Isn’t Just for Basement-Dwellers Anymore
“Today, most of us are gamers,” Elad points out. “Whether it’s 15 minutes of a favorite on your smartphone during the morning commute or a more serious hobby.” And he’s not wrong. Grandma’s crushing candy, Dad’s playing Wordle, and your little cousin is probably building the next Minecraft empire.
But here’s the kicker: brands are finally catching on. “After over a decade, big brand advertisers are finally seeing the potential in mobile gaming,” Elad notes. “There’s a lot of room for growth still.”
Audio Ads That Don’t Make You Want to Throw Your Phone
So, what’s Odeeo’s secret sauce? Audio ads that are actually… enjoyable. Shocking, I know.
“Choosing the right ad units is critical, and that is why we created ours,” Elad explains. “Audio is intimate, engaging, and as we’ve designed it, unobtrusive for the gamer. They choose to hear the ad, so they respond more positively. And as an advertiser, you only pay for those impressions that are heard.”
Wait, users choose to hear the ads? In a world where we’re bombarded with noise, Odeeo is banking on the idea that people will actually opt-in to listen. And guess what? It’s working.
AI and the Future of In-Game Ads
While everyone’s throwing around buzzwords like they’re going out of style, Elad takes a measured approach when it comes to AI. “It’s still early to talk about AI changing the experience, but we know that it will play a critical role in the evolution of both gaming and audio,” he says. “There are a lot of generative AI tools that will make it easier than ever to create and test different audio ad executions, from different voices to personalization.”
Translation: Soon, your in-game ads might be so tailored to you that they’ll feel like a personal serenade—or at least less like nails on a chalkboard.
Brands That Are Already Winning the Game
Odeeo isn’t just talking the talk; they’re walking the walk with some heavyweight brands. They’ve teamed up with Costa Coffee in the UK, driving a 15-percentage-point increase in awareness and a 12% lift in positive perceptions. “We’ve worked with top brands across categories, from FMCG and QSR to automotive and travel,” Elad shares. “One of our fitness advertisers was able to significantly improve acquisition costs by incorporating in-game audio.”
In other words, these aren’t just vanity metrics. They’re delivering real, measurable results that make CFOs smile.
The $5 Million Question: What’s Next?
With their recent $5 million funding round led by Atinum Investments, Odeeo is gearing up for global domination. “We are delighted to welcome Atinum Investments to the Odeeo family, and we’re excited that they share our vision for how the power of audio can evolve the gaming industry,” says Amit Monheit, Odeeo’s CEO and Elad’s partner in crime.
Elad adds, “In-game audio has become much more mainstream in the past two years, and nowhere is more critical to adoption than the US market. I’m very excited to be moving to New York to open Odeeo’s first full American office and work with the US team to champion in-game audio solutions to the world’s biggest advertisers and agencies.”
Not Just Business Partners—Rebels with a Cause
Elad and Amit aren’t your typical buttoned-up executives. They’re more like the dynamic duo of the ad tech world, challenging norms and pushing boundaries. “When we pitched our ideas to industry friends, their feedback pushed us to make progress on our initial proof of concept,” Elad recalls. “Of course, not all the feedback we received was optimistic. Some friends told us that the industry was too difficult to break into, even if the product had validity.”
Did they let that stop them? Not a chance. “Still, we didn’t lose hope,” Elad says. “In those beginning days, our attitude was to celebrate even the smallest victory. Every email response, every piece of feedback, every Zoom meeting, every technical breakthrough—it all laid the foundation of the path moving forward.”
Lessons from the Tennis Court to the Boardroom
Before diving into the cutthroat world of advertising, Elad was a professional tennis player. “My previous foray into the world of professional tennis has shaped the rest of my career,” he reflects. “It molded me into a goal-oriented person with a never-give-up mentality.”
That relentless drive is evident in how Odeeo navigated the tricky waters of securing funding. “Especially in the current funding environment, it is vital to show investors that you are trustworthy, and that you understand every inch of your product,” Elad emphasizes. “We spent a lot of time preparing for the seed round because we knew we had to make a success of it.”
The Future Is Audio, and It’s Personal
So, what’s the endgame for Elad and Odeeo? To revolutionize the way we think about in-game advertising, one audio clip at a time. “We have tremendous leadership in place in the States, and we anticipate investing even more to educate the market and champion in-game audio in the coming months,” Elad declares.
And as for those intrusive ads that make you want to throw your phone out the window? Their days are numbered. “The era of entrepreneurship as showmanship is over,” Elad states. “The current economic climate does not support it, and investors are more vigilant than ever in assessing the quality of their potential investments.”
Final Thoughts
In an industry that’s often stuck in its ways, Elad Stern and Odeeo are the breath of fresh air we didn’t know we needed. They’re proving that with a little innovation and a lot of determination, it’s possible to change the game—literally.
So, the next time you’re crushing candies or flinging birds on your phone and you hear an ad that doesn’t make you cringe, you’ll know who to thank.
