Observed Signal · Mar 17, 2026 · Acquisition · Source: AdExchanger · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Smartly Set to Acquire INCRMNTAL for Enhanced Measurement Tools
Smartly has signed a letter of intent to acquire INCRMNTAL, an incrementality measurement startup founded in Tel Aviv in 2019 that emphasizes causal lift over user-level tracking. Smartly CEO Laura Desmond said the transaction is expected to close within a few weeks; INCRMNTAL’s roughly 25 employees, including co-founders Maor Sadra and Moti Tal, will join Smartly’s more than 900 employees. Smartly intends to integrate INCRMNTAL’s "always-on" incrementality signals into its optimization and creative orchestration tools so near-real-time lift estimates can drive decisions about creative rotation, budget allocation, channel mix and audience targeting. Smartly — which acquired creative startup Ad-Lib.io in 2022 and runs hundreds of billions of creative assets annually, with video representing over half of its creative — positions the deal as part of a shift toward real-time, predictive measurement complementary to MMM and MTA.
Integration of real-time incrementality measurement into an adtech creative and optimization platform could improve optimization workflows and measurement approaches for advertisers, but the deal involves a small startup and is not a major-platform policy or technical change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Smartly signed a letter of intent to acquire INCRMNTAL.
- INCRMNTAL was founded in Tel Aviv in 2019 and focuses on incrementality/causal lift.
- Smartly expects the transaction to close within a few weeks and did not disclose price.
- Approximately 25 INCRMNTAL employees, including co-founders Maor Sadra and Moti Tal, will join Smartly, which has 900+ employees.
- Smartly plans to feed INCRMNTAL’s always-on incrementality signals into its optimization tools to inform creative, budget and targeting decisions.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Smartly to Acquire INCRMNTAL for Enhanced Marketing Insights
Smartly has entered into a letter of intent to acquire INCRMNTAL, an AI-powered incrementality measurement platform that provides real-time insights into the incremental impact of marketing investments across channels without relying on user-level data or tracking. Smartly says the integration will convert INCRMNTAL’s real-time incrementality signals into planning and optimization within its platform, enabling marketers to more quickly direct spend across social, commerce, and premium CTV. Smartly CEO Laura Desmond is quoted emphasizing the importance of connecting business outcomes to media and creative optimization in real time. INCRMNTAL’s methodology analyzes natural campaign fluctuations and complements MMM and MTA tools.
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