If you ever wanted to hear two grown men bond over Bayern Munich, data sovereignty, and the existential mystery of why CDP projects take a year and a half to get going, you’re in the right place.

This week on Couch Confidentials, I sat down with Elad Simchon, CEO – sorry, ZEO... of Zeotap. Yes, ZEO. I accidentally coined the term mid-recording, and Elad immediately claimed it for the brand. Fair play. 

Our chat was one of the most jovial conversations I’ve had all season. We wandered everywhere: his “midlife-crisis startup,” Germany’s secret basketball empire, DMEXCO survival tips, why CDPs are basically mirrors for your internal chaos (we shared similar views here), and even a small detour into whether being a Bayern Munich fan is a contractual obligation. (Not to spoil the fun... You only have to pretend.) 

Elad also explained the actual story behind that LinkedIn rumor that Zeotap had been sold. I'll save you some time... it hadn’t. They only sold their legacy ad-tech data unit, kept the IP, and partnered with the buyer so tightly it might as well have never left. Internet conspiracy theorists everywhere -> sit down 😉

We also got into the serious stuff, but in the same laid-back way.

  • Why European enterprises still hesitate with US vendors.
  • Why schema-forced CDPs feel like you’re moving house with a piano strapped to your back.
  • Why “zero copy” is sometimes more marketing than math.

And what Zeotap is actually cooking with AI for 2026. (Here's a hint: real “talk to your data” capabilities that finally look like they might deliver on the promise we’ve been hearing since 2010.) 

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed recording it. In true Martech Therapy fashion, we tried to focus on where the Martech brain meets the “let’s just be honest about how this stuff actually works” side of the industry.

Grab a coffee, come hang out on the couch, and meet the ZEO.

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