Posts for 'Investments'

  • At Least $150.1 Million Was Raised by Video Companies in Q4 '09

    In Q4 '09, private U.S. broadband and mobile video-related companies raised at least $150.1 million according to company news releases I received and public sources I track. At least 21 private companies disclosed financings in the quarter, ranging in size from $1 million each for Howcast and Mochila to $25 million each for Dailymotion and Delivery Agent. Vevo's raise from Abu Dhabi Media Company, which was not disclosed, may well have exceeded these. Companies across the ecosystem, including services, chips, advertising, DRM, content, analytics and platforms were represented.

    The quarterly total was the second best of 2009, following Q3 ($180.9 million). When added to Q1 ($74.8 million) and Q2 ($64 million), it brings the 2009 total to just under $470 million, raised by 64 companies. The relative strength of investments in the sector underscores investor enthusiasm broadband and mobile video despite the ongoing recession and credit squeeze. (Note the quarterly total doesn't include the $2 billion+ private placements that Clearwire, the 4G network provider, announced in Q4 or the $40 million raise that Chinese portal Youku just announced yesterday, nor any other international deals).

    In addition to private financings, there were noteworthy deals announced in Q4 as well. At the top of the list is of course Comcast-NBCU, valued at $30 billion. Another significant deal announced in the quarter was Cisco's acquisition of Tandberg, a Norwegian videoconferencing company for $3.4 billion. On a smaller scale, there was Limelight's plan to acquire rich media ad firm EyeWonder for $110 million just yesterday, AEG's acquisition of webcaster Incited Media, Adconion buying the remains of Joost and KIT Digital's rollup of competitors The FeedRoom and Nunet.

    Following are the investments that I tracked during the quarter, the date disclosed and new investors identified if applicable. Links are provided to the companies' press releases, or to relevant media coverage if none could be found (note that I haven't verified media coverage with companies themselves). If I've missed anything or you find an inaccuracy, please post a comment.

    VMIX ($2M) Oct 1 - Existing investors

    Delivery Agent ($25M) Oct 1 - Focus Ventures, existing investors

    Howcast ($1M) Oct 5 - Undisclosed investors

    Visible Measures (Undisclosed) Oct 6 - DAG Ventures

    Personal Web Systems ($1.2M) Oct 7 - Undisclosed investors

    ViVu ($3M) Oct 13 - Inventus Capital Partners, DFJ, Quest Ventures

    Ooyala ($10M) Oct 13 - Rembrandt Venture Partners, existing investors

    Vevo (Undisclosed) Oct 19 - Abu Dhabi Media Company

    Dailymotion ($25M) - Oct 22 - French Sovereign Fund, existing investors

    Dilithium Networks ($10.9M) - Oct 27 - Existing investors

    Vdopia ($4M) Oct 28 - Nexus Venture Partners

    ScanScout ($8.5M) - Oct 28 - EDB Investments

    Sezmi ($25M) Nov 16 - Existing investors

    Zorap ($1.4M) Dec 1 - Angel investors

    VisibleGains ($2M) Dec 2 - Existing investors

    Mochila ($1M) Dec 7 - Existing investors

    Widevine ($15M) Dec 14 - Liberty Global, Samsung

    Cloud Engines ($3M) Dec 14 - Undisclosed

    Ace Metrix ($6M) Dec 16 - Leapfrog Ventures, existing investors

    Jinni ($1.6M) Dec 16 - DFJ Tamir Fishman Ventures

    Quantenna ($4.5M) Dec 17 - Existing investors

     
  • At Least $180.9 Million Was Raised by Video Companies in Q3 '09

    Private broadband and mobile video-related companies had their best fund-raising quarter in a year, raising at least $180.9 million according to company news releases I received and public sources I track. At least 25 private companies disclosed financings in the quarter, ranging in size from $500,000 each for Magnify.net and Vidly to $23 million for iControl Networks. Companies across a wide range of specialties including services, devices, silicon, content, storage, advertising, search and other areas were represented.

    The quarterly total blew away each of the past 3 quarters I've tracked (Q2 '09 - $64M, Q1 '09 - $74.8M and Q4 '08 - $78M. In summary, over the last 4 quarters, at least 47 different broadband and mobile video-related companies have raised a total of at least $397M, a stellar performance under any circumstances, but all the more so given the down economy, frozen credit markets and nearly closed window for initial public offerings.

    In addition to the venture financings, there were at least 3 video-related acquisitions announced in the quarter including Adobe-Omniture for $1.8B (noteworthy due to Flash's leading market position), Google-On2 Technologies for $106.5M (being challenged by On2 shareholders) and DivX-AnySource for $15M. Elsewhere during the quarter, KIT Digital began trading on the NASDAQ, and Paltalk bought back $6M of its shares from investor Softbank Capital Partners. Lastly, Calix raised $100M, however I haven't included them on the list below because their broadband equipment is used for much more than just video delivery.

    Q3 '09 activity underscores investor enthusiasm for the opportunities broadband and mobile video-related companies are opening up and the value chain disruption many are causing. The financing momentum also puts an exclamation mark on my post from last week, "Why the FCC's Net Neutrality Plan Should Go Nowhere." Industry investors and entrepreneurs very clearly do not need the government issuing new Internet regulations to give them confidence to do deals.

    Following are the investments that I tracked during the quarter, the date disclosed and new investors identified if applicable. Links are provided to the companies' press releases, or to relevant media coverage if none could be found (note that I haven't verified media coverage with companies themselves). If I've missed anything or you find an inaccuracy, please post a comment.

    YuMe ($2.9M) June 12 - Existing investors

    Qik ($5.5M) July 9 - Quest Venture Partners, CampVentures

    QuickPlay Media ($12M) July 13 - Existing investors

    Amimon ($10M) July 14 - Stata Venture Partners, existing investors

    Generate ($2M) July 14 - Existing investors

    Clickthrough ($1M) July 17 - Angel investors

    iControl Networks ($23M) July 22 - Tyco, Cisco, Comcast, GE, existing investors

    5Min ($7.5M) July 23 - Globespan Capital Partners, existing investors

    Quantenna Communications ($2M) - July 26 - Swisscom

    Magnify.net ($.5M) Aug 4 - Existing investors

    Roku ($13.4M) - Aug 7 - Menlo Ventures

    Ustream.tv ($2M) - Aug 11 - Existing investors

    boxee ($6M) - Aug 12 - General Catalyst, existing investors

    Syndiant ($10.3M) - Aug 20 - Existing investors

    Tremor Media ($2M) - Aug 25 - SAP

    Vidly ($.5M) Aug 28 - Ron Conway, angels

    Faculte ($2.7M) Sept 1 - Calumet Venture Fund, angels

    Skyfire ($5M) Sept 2 - Existing investors

    eduFire ($1.3M) Sept 8 - Battery Ventures, Western Technology Investments, Gokul Rajaram

    Verivue ($20M) Sept 10 - Sigma Partners, existing investors

    Ruckus ($10.7M) Sept 15 - Undisclosed, existing investors

    Clicker ($8M) Sept 16 - Benchmark Capital, Redpoint Ventures

    Ensequence ($20M) Sept 18 - Undisclosed

    VuClip ($6M) Sept 22 - Jafco Ventures, existing investors

    Blackwave ($7M) Sept 30 - Existing investors

     
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