about smartology

Here at Smartology our mission is to transfer insightful and relevant information to audiences via publisher articles. Our award-winning targeting technology, SmartMatch, contextually matches client branded content with online articles from world-leading publisher sites.

SmartMatch uses AI - specifically Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processes (NLP) - to analyse both publisher and client branded content storing only semantic vectors, a representation of the context. Original publisher content is not stored, reproducible or repurposed. These semantic vectors are used to match contextually relevant client content with relevant publisher articles. What puts SmartMatch at the forefront of contextual advertising is its accuracy and precision. Using NLP, our system understands the true meaning of words and phrases, advancing beyond regular keyword-matching and macro level taxonomy tagging technologies.

With over a decade of experience, we have worked hard to perfect our technology. We continue to enhance our platform to ensure client content is in the best possible position to be seen in the right place and in the right environment, at the right time.

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the backstory

Mark Bembridge, CEO of Smartology has worked on the creation of semantic recognition platforms for over 15 years. Mark has a wealth of AdTech experience that he brings to bear in his work and founding of Smartology in 2010. Initially Smartology worked with premium publishers, namely The Financial Times and The Independent, using AI to target editorial content more efficiently across their websites. Our award-winning personalised news application for the Financial Times saw more users read personalised ‘My News’ within the app than consumed articles via the ‘Home’ page.

In 2012, we re-focussed our strategy to cater for the increasing demand of advertisers wanting to amplify and make better use of their branded content. In 2020, we evolved this into our robust and scalable platform SmartMatch™. The team advanced the platform in 2019 to run via programmatic advertising channels. More recently we have been able to scale at speed, add new clients in broader B2C verticals and enhance SmartMatch’s multilingual capabilities to include German, Spanish, French and Italian. We are proud to offer an advanced media technology solution which solves many of the key challenges the industry is grappling with, including privacy, brand protection, and transparency.

For any enquiries, please get in touch by filling out the form on our contact page. We are always ready to hear your questions, plans, and goals, so feel free to get it touch.

Our Team

Smartology consists of a close-knit, collaborative and like-minded team with a diverse set of experience, coming from all corners of the globe. The charisma and character our employees bring to the table is what our culture is embedded in, sharing a core set of values of being innovative, supportive, approachable and results-driven. This helps to move Smartology forward with shared purpose and enthusiasm.

We find that culture is integral to our overall performance as it creates engaged and productive workers, which enables success. We pride ourselves in having a team with a strong sense of camaraderie and support that has forged genuine relationships, enabling us to work together effectively to ensure our company and client goals are met, and even exceeded.

If you think you have what it takes to join the Smartology team, then we’d love to hear from you. Please send your CV and cover letter to our Talent Acquisition team at careers@smartology.net.

Meet the management team

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MARK BEMBRIDGE
CEO
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Mark is the founder of Smartology and has spent over a decade developing cutting edge semantic technology solutions within publishing, social media and advertising. Prior to Smartology he co-founded an executive search firm where he opened the company’s first London office and helped sell the business to Alexander Mann 4 years later. He went on to co-found Leiki closing deals with The Financial Times, BBC and Sun Microsystems before spinning off the UK business in 2010 and re-branding as Smartology.

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MARCUS KEANE
CTO
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Marcus' career in publishing spans 20 years, including The Financial Times and Euromoney, with experience across both digital and print. Marcus led the engineering function that developed the ground breaking subscription paywall at FT and was subsequently promoted to Director of Technology, where he was responsible for the FT's global engineering function. Marcus also serves as Vice Chair on the governing body of a primary school academy trust and in his spare time coaches mini's rugby.

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DAVID WILKINSON
CFO
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David, a fellow of the Chartered institute of Management Accountants, has 20 years of financial leadership experience working as Finance Director / CFO. He brings experience from sectors such as advertising, film & TV, telecoms and tech. Typically he helps companies move from either loss making to profit, or bring the rigour to enhance their growth. David has lead acquisitions from both sides. Most recently he has led two companies from profitability through to ultimately being acquired by FTSE100 companies.

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ROGER TAYLOR
CHAIRMAN
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Roger has 15 years Tech & Scale-up experience as CEO, Chair and NED including roles with AirAngel, Unbiased.co.uk, Quadriga and Pension Corporation. Providing the perspective of an M&A, PE and CEO background in start-ups through to £100m+ revenue, 300 FTE organisations; and a track record of working as Chair or Founder Adviser with Founders / CEOs, to assist organisations to deliver sales performance and operational scale within rapid-change technology markets, and secure shareholder liquidity.

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SALLY COSTERTON
BOARD ADVISOR
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Sally Costerton has been a senior communications practitioner for the past 30 years. She currently advises ICANN and was previously CEO of H+K Strategies EMEA, overseeing a $100 million business with 1,000 staff in over thirty countries. Before that, she led the firm’s Technology practice. She is an experienced Chairman and non-executive Director and has been a Board Director of the PRCA for over ten years. She currently chairs Commetric, the multi award-winning media analytics firm.

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MICHAEL MCCALMONT
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Michael founded a serviced office centre, known as Bloxham Mill (North Oxfordshire) almost 20 years ago. The centre’s extensive IT requirements were initially serviced by an in-house IT department. In 2005, a separate company was formed to expand the offering to businesses outside Bloxham Mill; this company has recently merged with others to form M9 Holdings (IT) Ltd. Michael now has interests in a number of IT companies, as well as a continuing involvement in the property sector.

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