Exponential growth has propelled Rocket Fuel (NASDAQ: FUEL), a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) advertising solutions for digital marketers, to new heights. Since December 2013, the Silicon Valley company has quadrupled its office space in six of its U.S. locations, including its headquarters in Redwood City, California; San Francisco; New York City; Los Angeles; Chicago; and Detroit. Rocket Fuel more than doubled its headcount from 2012 to 2013, and currently has 710 employees; an increase of 87% from the same time last year.
Founded in 2008, Rocket Fuel is a technology company that has built a big data and artificial intelligence platform to deliver superior results for digital advertisers. Its focus on driving performance has characterized every aspect of its business, including delivering strong customer returns on advertising spend (ROAS) from its use of machine-learning algorithms, predictive analytics, and human insight; hiring the best talent; and enabling employee-driven activities to benefit the local community.
“Investing in a strong company starts with hiring the best talent. Make no mistake, we would not be where we are without the strength of our employees,” said J. Peter Bardwick, CFO of Rocket Fuel. “The combination of our world-class team and innovative technology has propelled our growth and will continue to be the foundation of our success.”
“Rocket Fuel is exemplary of the Silicon Valley tech success stories,” said Kristoph Lodge, a Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark (C&CCNewmark) senior vice president who, together with Jack Troedson, a C&CCNewmark executive vice president, represent Rocket Fuel nationally. “The Bay Area commercial real estate market has certainly seen more than its share, and Rocket Fuel’s sound business model and smart technology is driving national and international expansion at an impressive rate.”
“It has been a very exciting year for Rocket Fuel,” said Kirk Thompson, director of real estate and facilities. “In addition to our new headquarters space, we negotiated five permanent leases across the country, and secured six short-term spaces and 10 subleases. Together with C&CCNewmark and its national partner Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, we identified the optimal space for new and future employees in creative ways to best support Rocket Fuel’s evolving business.”
Totaling 350,000 square feet, leases completed in the past six months include:
• Greater Los Angeles: Rocket Fuel signed a new 30,000-square-foot lease at 2121 E. Park Place in El Segundo with Invesco/SSV Properties. Rocket Fuel will relocate from its previous 9,000-square-foot office in December 2014.
• San Francisco: Rocket Fuel signed a new 48,876-square-foot lease at 1455 Market Street with landlord Hudson Pacific. Rocket Fuel will relocate from its 7,500-square-foot office in September 2014.
• New York: Rocket Fuel signed a new 90,000-square-foot lease at 100 West 33rd Street with landlord Vornado. Rocket Fuel will relocate from its previous offices totaling 25,000 square feet in July 2014.
• Chicago: Rocket Fuel signed a new 44,590-square-foot lease at 350 New Orleans Street with landlord Shorenstein. Rocket Fuel will relocate from its 14,600-square-foot office in July 2014.
• Redwood City, Calif.: Rocket Fuel signed a new 140,000-square-foot headquarters lease with landlord Equity Office at 1900 Seaport Boulevard in Pacific Shores Center, a 10-building, 1.7-million-square-foot campus in Redwood City filled with amenities, comforts and conveniences. Rocket Fuel relocated in March of 2014 from its previous 30,000-square-foot office in Redwood City.
• Rocket Fuel also leased new, larger offices in Detroit and London.
About Rocket Fuel
Rocket Fuel delivers a leading programmatic media-buying platform at Big Data scale that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve marketing ROI in digital media across web, mobile, video, and social channels. Rocket Fuel powers digital advertising and marketing programs globally for customers in North America, Europe, and Japan. Customers trust Rocket Fuel’s Advertising That Learns® platform to achieve brand and direct-response objectives in diverse industries from luxury cars to financial services to retail. Rocket Fuel currently operates in more than 20 offices worldwide and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “FUEL.” For more information, please visit http://www.rocketfuel.com or call 1-888-717-8873.
About Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark
A dominant regional real estate force since 1935, Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark has an expansive reach as part of one of the largest commercial real estate service firms in the U.S. Regionally, Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark has more than 310 agents in 13 strategically located offices throughout Northern California, creating a powerful platform from which to deliver superior services locally, while upholding its core values of integrity and knowledge. For further information, visit www.ccareynkf.com.
About Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank is one of the world’s leading commercial real estate advisory firms. Together with London-based partner Knight Frank and independently-owned offices, NGKF’s 12,000 professionals operate from more than 320 offices in established and emerging property markets on six continents.
With roots dating back to 1929, NGKF’s strong foundation makes it one of the most trusted names in commercial real estate. NGKF’s full-service platform comprises BGC’s real estate services segment, offering commercial real estate tenants, landlords, investors and developers a wide range of services including leasing; capital markets services, including investment sales, debt placement, appraisal, and valuation services; commercial mortgage brokerage services; as well as corporate advisory services, consulting, project and development management, and property and corporate facilities management services. For further information, visit www.ngkf.com.
NGKF is a part of BGC Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: BGCP), a leading global brokerage company primarily servicing the wholesale financial and real estate markets. For further information, visit www.bgcpartners.com.