Founded in 2020, the startup 4.screen develops a platform for real-time interaction with drivers, connecting digital vehicles in real-time with businesses along their route. Global and local brands can interact directly with drivers through their car displays. By leveraging vehicle sensor data such as location, engine type, car brand, and fuel or charge level, the platform provides drivers with contextual information about nearby businesses and places such as parking lots, restaurants, or shops. In this way, drivers are supported in their decision about where and when to stop during their journey.
nnnn4.screen aims to enable companies to reach their consumers on the move, address the most relevant target audience at the right time, increase brand awareness, and measurably increase the number of store visits. The Munich company is already live with several automotive manufacturers in Europe, including Audi, Skoda, and Mercedes-Benz.
nnnnInternational plans
nnnnIn January 2021, 4.screen completed its first funding round and raised a seven-figure sum. Now comes the Series A totaling 21 million euros. The company plans to use this fresh capital to advance its global expansion plans and further develop the platform. Participating in the round are S4S Ventures and Continental Corporate Venture Capital, among others. Both investors bring strategic advantages alongside capital: S4S Ventures brings advertising and marketing expertise, and Continental VC brings expertise in automotive technology. 4.screen also receives additional support from two venture capital firms, Summiteer and BayBG, as well as from business angels from the automotive industry – including Matthias Müller, former CEO of VW, and Bram Schot, former CEO of Audi.
nnnnFabian Beste, co-founder and CEO of 4.screen, comments on the Series A:
nnnnnnnn“We are delighted to close our Series A funding round and grateful for the trust of such strong investors. S4S Ventures brings outstanding expertise in marketing and advertising, while Continental Corporate Venture Capital contributes invaluable experience and knowledge in the field of global mobility. We are now well positioned to expand our activities beyond Europe and deliver exceptional experiences to drivers and companies worldwide. We are grateful for the support of our valued investors and look forward to the journey ahead.”
Expansion to North America
nnnnSanja Partalo, co-founder and managing partner at S4S Ventures, comments:
nnnnnnnn“4.screen is opening one of the most important untapped channels in the digital advertising industry with remarkable speed and at scale. Their ability to integrate into OEM core systems and leverage valuable data signals has enabled them to build a truly differentiated offering within the digital advertising sector. Their platform will create a new kind of advertising formats and marketing experiences for which 4.screen and its automotive industry partners are uniquely positioned.”
And Martin Sorrell, founder and chairman of S4Capital and co-founder and partner of S4S Ventures, adds:
nnnnn“As a completely new and standalone channel, 4.screen offers a rare and exciting opportunity. The automotive industry has always recognized the enormous importance of advertising – and Fabian and his team are driving the industry’s push into digital transformation and the immense value it can deliver for the driver, the automotive company, the advertiser, and the digital advertising ecosystem as a whole. We are excited to invest ahead of the expansion to North America, which has the potential to reach multiples of the users 4.screen already has in Europe.”
