The Trade Desk launches Ventura Ecosystem to open connected TV advertising, aiming to boost transparency, programmatic demand and CPMs.
The Trade Desk is deepening its push into connected television advertising with the launch of the Ventura Ecosystem, an industry collaboration designed to create a more transparent and efficient marketplace for CTV advertising.
The initiative builds on Ventura, The Trade Desk’s content-agnostic smart TV operating system introduced in 2024. Through the new ecosystem, participating partners can tap Ventura’s monetization tools to increase programmatic demand, improve fill rates and lower cost-per-thousand impressions (CPMs) for advertisers.
Initial collaborators include V, the television operating system formerly known as VIDAA, and ad-tech platform Nexxen.
Tackling CTV’s Walled Gardens
The Ventura Ecosystem reflects The Trade Desk’s broader strategy to challenge the dominance of closed platforms in connected television, where companies that control operating systems often prioritize their own advertising businesses.
“Streaming’s future depends on a healthy ecosystem with fair platforms and advertising that works,” said Matthew Henick, senior vice president of consumer products at The Trade Desk. “Most TV operating systems today are owned by companies focused on their own agendas rather than strengthening the broader marketplace.”
By positioning Ventura as content-agnostic, The Trade Desk hopes to differentiate itself from ecosystems tied to major platforms such as Roku or Amazon Fire TV.
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Programmatic Tools and Partnerships
Partners in the Ventura Ecosystem gain access to The Trade Desk’s advertising infrastructure, including:
- OpenPath, which simplifies direct connections between buyers and publishers
- Unified ID 2.0 and EUID, identity frameworks designed for privacy-conscious targeting
- OpenAds, which aims to improve transparency across the supply chain
- OpenPass, which supports personalized advertising experiences
Participating operating systems will retain control over their brand identity and user experience while integrating Ventura’s monetization capabilities.
For Nexxen, the collaboration builds on its existing partnership with V, enabling advertisers to programmatically access premium advertising inventory across smart TV manufacturers, including Hisense and Toshiba.
Growth — But at a Slower Pace
The announcement comes as The Trade Desk continues to grow, albeit at a slower rate. The company reported $847 million in fourth-quarter revenue, a 14% year-over-year increase, compared with 22% growth during the same period in 2024.
For the full 2025 fiscal year, revenue reached $2.9 billion, up 18% year over year, down from 26% growth in 2024.
Chief executive Jeff Green attributed the slowdown partly to weaker spending in the consumer packaged goods and automotive sectors, which account for more than a quarter of the company’s business.
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Connected TV Remains Central
Despite the broader slowdown, The Trade Desk’s connected television business continues to expand rapidly. Video — including CTV — accounted for roughly half of the company’s revenue in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead, the company highlighted opportunities tied to major live events in 2026, including advertising inventory connected to NBCUniversal’s coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.
With the Ventura Ecosystem, The Trade Desk is betting that a more open and collaborative infrastructure could reshape how advertisers and streaming platforms transact in the growing connected TV market.
