Dive Brief: 

• Demand side platform SiteScout has been acquired by Centro, a tech firm that automates part of the ad buying process. 
• The deal is reported to be around $40 million in cash and stock and is representative of real time bidding's growing importance in digital advertising. 
• With the purchase of SiteScout, Centro will now be able to offer exchange inventory and direct-sold offerings in a single interface. 

Dive Insight: 

Having both direct buying and exchange inventory on the same platform, Centro will be able to offer something many firms can't—a side-by-side comparison. This will help ad buyers quickly determine where their money should be spent and give them an avenue to transfer spend easily. Centro will also be able to offer the industry a model to watch as RTB continues to grow.