Mobile-marketing startup Tappa raised $4.9 million to help brands build more engaging apps. Here's the pitch deck it used.
Lauren Johnson
Apple, Google, Startups
Tappa raised $4.9 million in seed funding led by Alicorn Venture Partners.

Big privacy changes from Apple and Google have hindered marketers' campaign tracking.

Tappa's SDK for branded mobile keyboards aims to boost app engagement and drive traffic.

Big privacy moves from Apple and Google have made it harder for marketers to measure and track campaigns over the past few years.

Mobile-marketing firm Tappa wants to help brands with some of those problems by driving traffic and engagement within mobile apps. The firm is pitching a software-development kit, or SDK, that app publishers can use to create branded mobile keyboards in their apps.

Tappa raised $4.9 million in a seed round of funding led by Alicorn Venture Partners to expand its products and hire for sales and tech talent, said CEO Leo Giel. The startup plans to begin raising its Series A round early next year, he said.

The branded keyboards use deep linking to drive people to specific parts of an app. Brands can create their own custom icons and images that appear on the keyboards when someone uses an app, which can help consumers remember the brand, Giel said. For example, a financial app might use a keyboard with a button to make a transfer or quickly find cash-back rewards. These branded keyboards are opened half a million times each month, Giel said.

Giel said Tappa is trying to solve the challenges marketers face in understanding their mobile audiences.

Tappa also has a product that uses AI to scrape data from how people use the keyboards — like identifying other apps they use and what content they engage the most with — and packages it up for brands. Giel said Tappa's data is collected in aggregate and is privacy-safe because it is not collected from individual users.

Tappa's clients include sports teams like Real Madrid and apps like Bottled and Benjamin.

"The mobile ecosystem has been lacking innovation," Giel said. "CEOs are constantly asking their team members to increase retention, improve lift, further engage consumers, understand their audiences better, and understand their high-value customer."

Here are seven key slides from Tappa's investor deck:

Tappa says the average person uses a mobile keyboard 70 times per day

The slide says Tappa's technology can help app publishers identify the audience that was lost to Apple's privacy changes. Its keyboards also open up new potential revenue from advertising and search.

The firm plans to grow its sales staff with the round of funding

Tappa also plans to develop an advertising marketplace and focus on gaming apps.

Tappa wants to sell ads using programmatic technology

The company is looking at introducing new formats and targeting including location.

A chart shows Tappa has grown keyboard opens while cutting acquisition costs

Tappa's insight products show how long someone spends with keyboards and can analyze sentiment

Tappa's insights also show data like what devices and apps people use and their age group.

Tappa wants to expand into areas like weather and news apps

The company aims to increase the retention of users.

Part of Tappa's roadmap this year includes optimizing ads for machine learning

The company plans to integrate its insights tools with adtech companies.
Tappa raised $4.9 million in seed funding led by Alicorn Venture Partners.
Big privacy changes from Apple and Google have hindered marketers' campaign tracking.
Tappa's SDK for branded mobile keyboards aims to boost app engagement and drive traffic.
Big privacy moves from Apple and Google have made it harder for marketers to measure and track campaigns over the past few years. Mobile-marketing firm Tappa wants to help brands with some of those problems by driving traffic and engagement within mobile apps. The firm is pitching a software-development kit, or SDK, that app publishers can use to create branded mobile keyboards in their apps. Tappa raised $4.9 million in a seed round of funding led by Alicorn Venture Partners to expand its products and hire for sales and tech talent, said CEO Leo Giel. The startup plans to begin raising its Series A round early next year, he said. The branded keyboards use deep linking to drive people to specific parts of an app. Brands can create their own custom icons and images that appear on the keyboards when someone uses an app, which can help consumers remember the brand, Giel said. For example, a financial app might use a keyboard with a button to make a transfer or quickly find cash-back rewards. These branded keyboards are opened half a million times each month, Giel said. Giel said Tappa is trying to solve the challenges marketers face in understanding their mobile audiences. Tappa also has a product that uses AI to scrape data from how people use the keyboards — like identifying other apps they use and what content they engage the most with — and packages it up for brands. Giel said Tappa's data is collected in aggregate and is privacy-safe because it is not collected from individual users. Tappa's clients include sports teams like Real Madrid and apps like Bottled and Benjamin. "The mobile ecosystem has been lacking innovation," Giel said. "CEOs are constantly asking their team members to increase retention, improve lift, further engage consumers, understand their audiences better, and understand their high-value customer." Here are seven key slides from Tappa's investor deck: The slide says Tappa's technology can help app publishers identify the audience that was lost to Apple's privacy changes. Its keyboards also open up new potential revenue from advertising and search. Tappa also plans to develop an advertising marketplace and focus on gaming apps. The company is looking at introducing new formats and targeting including location. Tappa's insights also show data like what devices and apps people use and their age group. The company aims to increase the retention of users. The company plans to integrate its insights tools with adtech companies.
 Tappa says the average person uses a mobile keyboard 70 times per day The firm plans to grow its sales staff with the round of funding Tappa wants to sell ads using programmatic technology A chart shows Tappa has grown keyboard opens while cutting acquisition costs Tappa's insight products show how long someone spends with keyboards and can analyze sentiment Tappa wants to expand into areas like weather and news apps Part of Tappa's roadmap this year includes optimizing ads for machine learning