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Durham Based Keen Decision Systems Secures Additional Series B Funding by Local Investment Firm

by Keen in the NewsPress Releases

DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Keen Decision Systems (“Keen”) announced today that it has secured additional Series B financing by the Triangle Tweener Fund. This funding will help Keen accelerate the industry’s first and only decision optimization engine rooted in predictive analytics. Keen’s platform has been transforming how marketing decisions are made, helping marketers close the marketing proof gap by tying investment decisions to financial impact.

“I first discovered Keen in 2018-2019 and have been tracking the company ever since and watching them grow rapidly year over year. It’s exciting to add Keen to our portfolio and invest alongside the folks at Ballast Point Ventures”

Brand marketers and P&L owners are currently facing unprecedented challenges in the market. Inflation, supply chain disruption, budget cuts, and marketing team layoffs are just a few examples. The after effects of Covid have created an environment of tough decisions—budgets are going down instead of up, and teams have to hit the same targets with less. Keen’s omni adaptive marketing mix solution empowers brand leaders to quickly and accurately plan, adjust and report on their marketing mix strategy. Marketing leaders can now account for known and unexpected complexities across their entire marketing landscape through vetted recommendations to make data-driven investment decisions, tie them to financial impact, and create long-term value.

“Keen’s platform quantifies the value of marketing on financial performance, resulting in a 25 percent improvement or more in the first year using the system. The market for next generation marketing mix continues to mature and grow and we are well positioned to take advantage of this momentum. We’re excited to have the Tweener Fund participate in our Series B round with our lead investor, Ballast Point Ventures. The additional capital and guidance from some of the most successful entrepreneurs and investors in the Triangle will most definitely help us to build a company that consistently over performs,” said Greg Dolan, Co-Founder and CEO.

“I first discovered Keen in 2018-2019 and have been tracking the company ever since and watching them grow rapidly year over year. It’s exciting to add Keen to our portfolio and invest alongside the folks at Ballast Point Ventures,” says Scot Wingo, General Partner, Tweener Fund.

About Keen Decision Systems

Keen Decision Systems is a Durham, NC-based, software-as-a-service company whose unified marketing measurement and optimization platform helps marketers make dynamic, data-driven decisions about the most effective marketing investments, by channel, investment level and timing. Keen’s customers experience an average 25 percent improvement in brand performance in year one. Connect: KeenDS.com, info@keends.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About the Tweener Fund

The Triangle Tweener Fund (Tweener Fund) is a Rolling Fund (powered by AngelList) affiliated with the Triangle Tweener List. The Tweener Fund seeks to create an index of early stage, private company investments. For additional information, visit https://tweenerfund.com/

Contacts

Addie Caulk Derr, VP Marketing | addie.caulk.derr@KeenDS.com

 
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A Forward-Thinking Approach to Marketing Analysis

by Keen in the NewsPress Releases

Inc. — Keen Decision Systems is a future-focused marketing performance management platform that empowers companies with data and tools to make fast, confident decisions about their marketing spends.

Keen has shifted how Post Consumer Brands approaches its marketing. Post used to analyze marketing impact across its biggest brands at the end of each year. With Keen, Post can evaluate marketing impact across its entire portfolio every quarter, easily testing and measuring new marketing tactics.

Insights when you need them

Audra Carson, senior director, integrated marketing communications at Post Consumer Brands, describes Keen as a “decision-focused tool” that allows users to assess a plan’s effectiveness and quantify how marketing contributes to company profit.

 

Post first tested Keen’s offering in 2019 before expanding the relationship.

 

“We found pretty quickly that Keen offered the frequency, flexibility, and forward-looking insight we had been looking for,” Carson says.

 

Logan Moorse, manager, consumer insights & analytics at Post Consumer Brands, says Post can now make smarter decisions about every brand’s strategy.

“Keen has given Post a much more data-driven approach when it comes to understanding the most efficient and effective ways we’re spending our advertising dollars,” he says.

The Post cereal brand Pebbles is a great example. While the cereal category declined by about five percent over the last year, Pebbles grew by 12 percent. Moorse credits smart marketing, made possible, in part, by Keen.

 “Testing with purpose” also helped Pebbles discover new growth strategies. Carson says being able to evaluate and adjust tactics quickly, rather than waiting a year, also enabled “a behavioral change” inside of the organization.

Come along for the ride

Post’s experience with Keen is typical. On average, Keen clients reap a 25 percent improvement in marketing return on investment (ROI) the first year. The more clients embrace Keen insights and recommendations, the bigger the potential gains, says Keen co-founder and CEO Greg Dolan.

 

Companies like Post that use marketing technology to enable forward-thinking marketing approaches and data-driven decision making drive business performance. By driving results for customers, Keen fuels its own fast growth. Dolan sums it up: “We win when our clients win.”

Keen also continually invests in its platform to create even more value. Moorse appreciates how Keen involves customers in this journey by asking for–and acting upon–input on new features and capabilities. That is part of why it’s been “an awesome partnership,” he says, and why Post will continue to work with Keen to drive marketing performance.