2022 Fire Awards: Winter Park startup Sonobi expects to double revenue this year, thanks to an acquisition, organic growth

Sonobi Inc. was chosen as one of Orlando Business Journal's 2022 Fire Awards honorees, who were featured in OBJ's April 29-May 5, 2022, weekly edition.

The Winter Park-based advertising technology developer enables advertisers and publishers to directly collaborate to deliver the industry's most qualified audience connections. This enables advertisers and publishers to create relevant, omnichannel experiences that engage audiences within the content they care about most. The 10-year-old company declined to share how much it has raised since its founding, however, it expects to double revenue this year when compared with 2021.

Here's more from CEO Michael Connolly:

What was your company’s biggest accomplishment of 2021? Our acquisition of Amply Media [Sonobi in October 2021 announced the acquisition of the digital platform that provides push notification technology to an existing network of 110 million-plus subscribers as well as a growing partner network of publishers].

How did you get it done? We got it done through our significant organic growth over the last two years, and dedication to creating the very best advertising technology company in the industry today.

How does your company stay innovative? Hiring local engineers from our surrounding universities and technical colleges has enabled Sonobi to stay on the absolute cutting edge of digital marketing technology.

What strategies have you implemented to recruit and/or retain talent in a competitive labor market? Providing an opportunity to work with a team of motivated individuals working in a dynamic and innovative ecosystem combined with unparalleled office perks and culture.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry? There's a lot of power consolidated into a few behemoths, namely Google and Facebook. Also, those companies have driven an increased awareness and paranoia of digital marketing efforts.

What is your company’s top goal for 2022? Complete the integration from our acquisition last year, and fully deploy the industry's first programmatic + push notification offering.

In the past year, what progress have you seen in the growth of Central Florida’s entrepreneurial and tech ecosystems? We've seen an increase in the diversity of tech coming out of this area. Slow process, but glad to see it moving forward.

What is the local technology and innovation sector’s biggest obstacle to more growth? [It] is always the same: Getting VCs/funding comfortable with the idea that innovative companies in this area are building in industries that are not hospitality or government contract-related.

Are you hiring now? Yes, four currently, but ongoing. We always are looking for wonderful, talented individuals. If you’re an A Player, Sonobi has a job for you.

Sonobi Inc.

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