A newly relocated Norwalk software developer has gotten $3.2 million from Connecticut taxpayers and former ESPN executive David F. Zucker, among other investors, to build its niche helping retailers slap advertising onto shipped packages.
Zadspace Inc., previously based in El Segundo, Calif., received its equity infusion from Connecticut Innovations Inc., the state’s quasi-public technology investment arm, and private investors DFJ Frontier, Crosscut Ventures and The Gideon Hixon Fund.
Zadspace says it has raised more than $6 million to date.
Zucker and two more new investors, Cava Capital and LaunchCapital, also signed on during the latest Series B investment round, officials said. The specific amounts of their investments was not detailed.
While ESPN’s executive vice president in the ’90s, Zucker, 48, was instrumental in launching ESPN2 and The X Games for the Bristol sports programmer. He later left the Walt Disney Co. division to run, among other companies, DIVA Systems Corp., Playboy Enterprises and Midway Games.
Zucker and CI take seats on Zadspace’s board.
Zadspace’s proprietary software  enables retailers to affix highly targeted and personalized 4-inch by 6-inch color labels onto packages shipped to consumers. Zadspace’s retail partners get paid for each labeled package shipped.
Zadspace says it will primarily use the new funding to grow its distribution network and to increase its client base of advertisers.
The company also announced the hiring of board member Jeff Giordano as its interim CEO. Giordano previously was chairman of the Electronic Retailing Association and has successfully built and sold several direct marketing service companies.
Giordano claims Zadspace has the ability over time to deliver 80 million household impressions annually to clients.
