For those advertisers and Websites finding it difficult to keep up with the 300-plus ad networks out there, a new startup called the Rubicon Project promises to simplify the process of placing ads online. It provides one dashboard to manage all of a company’s ad campaigns, and tries to optimize across ad networks—from Google, Yahoo, and Tacoda (AOL) to AdBrite to HispanoClick—to deliver the most bang for the buck. The service breaks down ad inventory into 9,000 micro-segments by geography, demographics, and context. A private beta opened up today with 500 spots. If anyone signs up, please report back your experience in comments below.
The Rubicon Project is an LA-based startup that raised $6 million last week in an A round from Clearstone Venture Partners (with $2 million of that coming in the form of venture debt from Square1Bank).