Motion Raises $30M Series B to Become the Go-To Platform for Creative Strategists

Toronto-based advertising technology startup Motion has secured $30 million USD in Series B funding, marking a significant step in its journey to revolutionize creative advertising strategy. Founded in 2021 by Reza Khadjavi (CEO), Alexander Sloan (CTO), and David Berglas (head of finance)—all alumni of Hubba and Shoelace—Motion is focused on developing a platform that transforms data into actionable ad ideas. The company aims to serve creative strategists who increasingly play a critical role in advertising as audience targeting becomes more algorithm-driven.

Khadjavi emphasized that, as algorithm-based ad targeting has grown, creative content has become the most critical component of successful ad campaigns. In response to this shift, Motion is building a suite of tools to help creative strategists research trends, analyze performance, and generate new ad ideas. As Khadjavi explained in an interview with BetaKit, “Motion is building all of the tooling that a creative strategist needs to do their job well.” He credits the company’s early success to being at “the right place at the right time,” seizing on the growing demand for creativity in ad production.

Motion’s platform helps strategists by providing software that streamlines the research and creative process. Recognizing the potential market for such tools, the company’s investors have bought into Motion’s vision. The $30 million Series B round was led by Montréal-based Inovia Capital, with participation from new backer Threshold Ventures and existing investors Headline, Abstract Ventures, and Sugar Capital. Khadjavi highlighted that while the round included some secondary sales, it was primarily a majority primary round.

In addition to announcing the new financing, Motion revealed that it has appointed Dara Denney, a well-known YouTube and advertising industry influencer, as its chief evangelist. Denney’s role will focus on advising product development, creating educational content, and helping to train creative strategists, which underscores Motion’s commitment to deepening its influence in the creative ad tech space.

Motion’s Series B financing brings its total funding to $42 million USD, including previous rounds such as a $6-million seed round from September 2022 and a $6-million Series A insider round from December 2023, both of which were led by Headline. While Khadjavi did not disclose the valuation at which the Series B round was completed, he confirmed it was at a significantly higher valuation compared to the Series A.

With this fresh infusion of capital, Motion is poised to continue its growth trajectory and expand its product offering. The company’s new Creative Research tool further enhances its platform’s research capabilities, enabling creative strategists to better understand ad trends and optimize their campaigns. 

As the demand for effective and data-driven creative strategies grows, Motion’s innovative solutions are well-positioned to elevate the company as a key player in the advertising technology landscape. By focusing on the unique needs of creative strategists, Motion is addressing a critical gap in the market: the ability to transform complex data into actionable and creative insights. This positions Motion to capitalize on the increasing shift toward algorithm-based audience targeting, where the creative element plays a defining role in ad success.

Motion’s combination of advanced analytics, research tools, and AI-driven insights allows brands and creative teams to better understand ad performance and optimize their content in real-time. This approach not only streamlines the creative process but also improves campaign effectiveness, offering companies a competitive edge in a crowded and rapidly evolving digital ad space.

The company’s growing influence, bolstered by high-profile partnerships and its appointment of Dara Denney as chief evangelist, further strengthens its industry presence. With the backing of significant investors like Inovia Capital and Threshold Ventures, along with a total funding of $42 million USD, Motion has the resources and strategic vision to continue scaling and refining its platform. As more companies seek to bridge the gap between data and creativity, Motion’s solutions could become integral to shaping the future of advertising.