Journify raises $12M Series A to expand ad signal AI to US and Europe. Launch Base Africa Published Nov 4, 2026 · 5:28 AM Journify, an ad signal infrastructure startup dual-headquartered in Morocco and San Francisco, has raised $12 million in a Series A funding round at four times its prior valuation. The investment was led by Casablanca-based Al Mada Ventures and co-led by returning backer Silicon Badia, with participation from regional venture firms. The platform integrates first-party customer data server-side to bypass cookie deprecation and feed conversion signals directly into ad algorithms run by Meta, Google, and TikTok. Journify plans to direct the fresh capital toward expanding into the United States and European markets while upgrading its underlying artificial intelligence engine. Journify, an ad signal infrastructure startup headquartered in Morocco and San Francisco, has secured $12 million in a Series A funding round at four times its previous valuation, Launch Base Africa reported on November 4, 2026. The investment was led by Casablanca-based Al Mada Ventures, the venture arm of Morocco's Al Mada holding group, and co-led by returning investor Silicon Badia. Shorooq and Bunat Ventures expanded their existing holdings, while Dubai-based Du Ventures and Oraseya Capital joined as new investors. The company plans to use the capital to scale operations into the United States and Europe and enhance the artificial intelligence powering its platform. The startup operates between an advertiser's internal systems - including ecommerce storefronts, CRM software, offline sales records, and data warehouses - and major ad networks. It captures, validates, and enriches conversion events on the server side, subsequently transmitting them to advertising engines operated by Google, Meta, TikTok, Snap, and Amazon Ads. According to Journify, its platform currently serves more than 100 enterprise clients managing hundreds of millions of dollars in combined ad spend, including regional brands such as Saudi retailer Jarir Bookstore and ecommerce company Baytonia. Silicon Badia partner Hossam Shafick reported that the startup has expanded its revenues more than fivefold since the firm's initial investment. Specs: Journify functions as a platform-agnostic server-side data pipeline and ad signal infrastructure platform. Its core capabilities include conversion validation and enrichment, continuous signal-quality monitoring, and an "AI Insights" feature for querying ad performance. It connects server-side to platforms including Google, Meta, TikTok, Snap, and Amazon Ads. The company holds a SOC 2 Type II report and adheres to GDPR requirements. Proprietary model weights, parameter counts, underlying open-source components, and formal pricing schedules were not disclosed by the source. Background: Founded in 2022 by Taoufik El Jamali, Amine Chouki, and Omar Al Shoubaki, Journify established offices in Dubai and Riyadh alongside its San Francisco headquarters. The startup gained rapid commercial traction in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where digital ad spending is projected to reach $12.4 billion in 2026. The platform previously closed a strategic financing round that doubled its valuation to fund GCC expansion, establishing early proof-of-concept among regional retailers adapting to local consent frameworks and heavy mobile commerce adoption. Background: The broader digital advertising industry has experienced acute signal degradation over recent years due to regulatory shifts such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), web browser restrictions on third-party cookies, and Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework. Because modern digital marketing is heavily algorithmic - with global ad expenditure forecast by dentsu to reach $1.06 trillion in 2026 - machine learning bidding models struggle to optimize budgets when transaction attribution becomes fragmented or lost. This friction has generated strong venture capital demand for server-side infrastructure that bypasses client-side browser tracking. Despite its traction in the Middle East, Journify faces established competitors as it enters Western markets. Platforms such as Elevar, Datahash, and custom agency middleware provide overlapping server-side capabilities, while major tech platforms offer native tools like Meta's Conversions API Gateway and Google's Enhanced Conversions. Independent industry observers note that while platform neutrality and enterprise certifications like SOC 2 are essential, maintaining an enduring competitive moat against native tech platform features remains challenging. In response to its expansion plans, Journify named former InVision executive Ryan Burke to its board of directors to assist its US go-to-market efforts. Looking ahead, Journify plans to deploy the capital to establish its presence across European markets and the United States, which represents a $294.6 billion digital ad sector. The startup also intends to expand its AI capabilities, which continuously monitor signal health and power automated performance reporting. Why it matters Journify's expansion provides small and mid-sized enterprises with enterprise-grade data tools to protect ad efficiency against persistent third-party tracking restrictions without maintaining costly custom engineering teams. For global digital ad markets, the deal signals accelerating investment in privacy-compliant data infrastructure as marketing algorithms become the default mechanism for media buying. For developing nations, particularly across North Africa and the Middle East, the startup's growth validates the ability of regional technology founders to build export-ready infrastructure products capable of competing directly in mature Western software ecosystems.

Spiro appoints John Emmaneel to lead global operations and innovation within its Brand Activations & Events division. Oct 06, 2026, 11:00 ET Mr. Emmaneel joins Brand Activations & Events (BAE) to develop ambitious international event portfolios, while ensuring each experience is creatively distinctive and commercially profitable. Las Vegas, October 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Spiro(R), an international agency specializing in customer experience, today announces the appointment of John Emmaneel as executive vice president of global operations and innovation within its Brand Activations & Events (BAE) division. Mr. Emmaneel will be responsible for leading how BAE plans, staffs and delivers across all markets, while developing new capabilities as client needs evolve. He will work alongside Jen Shankman, executive vice president of BAE Growth, who oversees growth and strategic relationships for the division. Both report to Carley Faircloth-Kilmurray, global director of marketing, strategy and brand experience. "BAE combines the structure needed to manage an international portfolio with the creativity essential to making each experience unique. John knows how to bring that to life at scale," says Carley Faircloth-Kilmurray. "He has spent more than 25 years building teams and developing capabilities to meet clients' specific needs. He knows how to turn ambitious ideas into effective projects, and has the operational expertise needed to deliver them anywhere in the world." Mr. Emmaneel joins Spiro after working at InVision, where he led the agency's Innovation practice and Chicago office, and where he drove the Gaming & Entertainment practice while expanding the service offering and fostering regional growth. Throughout his career, he has also held leadership positions at Kenwood Experiences and Jack Morton Worldwide, where he worked for brands such as Square Enix, Google, Intel, NVIDIA, Samsung and Northwestern Mutual. "What attracted me to Spiro is the combination of strengths that defines BAE: real strategic and operational depth, paired with the desire to create projects that teams truly care about," says Mr. Emmaneel. "There is a solid foundation here and real ambition for the future. I look forward to better highlighting the agency's expertise across all markets and helping teams deliver ambitious projects for our clients." About Spiro Brand Activations & Events We are event operators by trade and growth strategists by vocation; we connect every decision to the business behavior it is meant to drive. The result is experiences that come to life and influence the future. Spiro Brand Activations & Events is Spiro's specialized team dedicated to conferences, product launches, corporate meetings, festivals and brand activations. Drawing on its expertise in corporate events and consumer experiences, BAE brings structure to its entire portfolio and infuses a creative touch into every experience. This is how BAE delivers on the Experience Brand Gravity(TM) promise, creating a connection between the brand and the customer. About Spiro Spiro (sp-eye-roh) is an experiential agency operating globally, driven by strategy and creativity, and recognized as a leader in brand development and engagement strategy. By strengthening Brand Gravity(TM), that emotional, behavioral and data-fueled force of attraction that connects brands to their audiences, Spiro transforms brands into experiences. Globally connected and trusted by some of the world's most influential brands, Spiro creates that gravitational pull that strengthens customer loyalty. To learn more, visit spiro.com. Media contact Melissa Burns Senior director of marketing [email protected]