Kevel

Leading API-first ad serving infrastructure provider enabling companies to build custom in-house ad platforms and retail media networks

Kevel (formerly Adzerk) is an ad tech infrastructure company that offers a suite of APIs allowing businesses to build and manage their own custom ad servers and retail media networks. Founded in 2010 and rebranded to Kevel in 2020, the company empowers digital publishers, e-commerce platforms, and marketplaces to take control of their advertising stack rather than depending on third-party ad networks like Google or Amazon. Its API-first approach gives engineering teams the flexibility to create bespoke ad experiences across web, app, email, and other digital surfaces. Kevel's platform covers the full ad serving lifecycle, including ad decisioning, targeting, pacing, reporting, and sponsored listings. The company has positioned itself as a key enabler of the retail media boom, helping brands like Klarna, Ticketmaster, Yelp, and Strava build proprietary ad platforms. By offering infrastructure rather than a managed network, Kevel allows clients to retain their first-party data, avoid revenue sharing with intermediaries, and maintain full control over the user experience. Kevel competes in the ad server and retail media infrastructure space against players like CitrusAd, Criteo's Commerce Media Platform, and custom in-house builds. Its differentiation lies in its developer-friendly, API-first architecture, speed of deployment, and the ability to support highly customized ad formats. The company is privately held and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.