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Q4 '11 Private Video Company Financings Drop to $103M
Private online and mobile video companies raised at least $103 million in Q4 '11, a drop from the blockbuster third quarter in which $236 million was raised, but still an increase from the $84 raised in Q2 '11. As I always note in these roundups, financings can close and/or be announced at somewhat random times, so the quarter-to-quarter fluctuations aren't necessarily meaningful. More significant to me is that the private video companies raised at least $560 million in 2011, a very healthy clip.
As detailed below, the $103 million was raised by 14 companies, with just two financings (BrightRoll's $30M and Viki's $20M) accounting for almost half of the quarter's total. I've compiled the total from numerous sources I track and as always, it is possible that I missed some news during the quarter. If so, please let me know and I'll update the list. Links are provided to press releases or if one isn't available, to relevant media coverage.
In addition to the financings, there were also at least 8 M&A video transactions announced in Q4, which are noted below.
Topics: Deals
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At Least $477 Million Raised By Private Online/Mobile Video Companies In Q1 '11
Private online and mobile video-related companies around the world raised at least $477 million in Q1 '11 providing more evidence of intense investor interest in the space. Of the total, approximately $340 million was raised by international companies, with approximately $137 million raised by U.S. companies. The international total was dominated by Softbank's $250 million investment for a 35% stake in China's Synacast Corporation, which operates the "PPTV" online TV service. The other significant international financing was Orange's 58.8 million euro (approximately $83 million) investment in video aggregator Dailymotion, for a 49% stake.
In the U.S. 15 financings were reported, with almost 80% of the amount collectively raised by 6 companies: SnagFilms ($10M), Auditude ($11M), Kaltura ($20M), boxee ($16.5M), Adap.tv ($20M) and TidalTV ($30M). As has been typical in prior quarters, all of these companies are involved in or rely on online video advertising in one way or another.
Q1 also produced at least 15 online/mobile video M&A deals, the most since VideoNuze began tracking the market nearly 2 years ago. The focus of these deals was varied and occurred both internationally and in the U.S. In the former category, examples included Amazon's acquisition of remaining shares of LOVEFiLM (the "Netflix of Europe"), AOL Europe's acquisition of video distribution network goviral and Prague-based KIT Digital's rollup of KickApps, Kyte and Kewego. In the U.S. some of the noteworthy deals included Cisco's acquisition of video encoder Inlet Technologies, YouTube's buyout of independent video producer Next New Networks, Tremor Media's acquisition of mobile video ad firm Transpera and CBS Interactive's acquisition of online video guide Clicker.
Categories: Deals & Financings
Topics: Deals, Financings
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Another $150M Raised by Video Companies in Q3 '10, Plus Lots of Deals
Q3 '10 saw strong continued investment interest in the online video industry, with at least 14 private companies raising at least $149.4 million, according to sources I track. The largest amount however, $50 million, went to Chinese video portal Tudou. If that amount were backed out, then the approximately $100 million remaining would actually be the lowest quarterly total since Q2 '09. Total financings over the last 4 quarters are approximately $756.1 million.
The big news of the quarter though, was in industry deals. At least 11 acquisitions were announced or completed in Q3, which are listed after the investments below. In other industry news, Blockbuster declared bankruptcy, capping its long demise, and rumors of Hulu's plans to go public surfaced.
Following are the financings and acquisitions 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.
Categories: Deals & Financings
Topics: Deals
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More Than $247.1 Million Was Raised by Private Video-Related Companies in Q2 '10
Q2 '10 was another strong quarter of financings for private video-related companies, with at least 18 companies raising more than $247.1 million according to public sources I track. Once again the group was dominated by technology-focused firms rather than those involved with content. The biggest recipients of funding in the quarter were Tremor Media ($40M), Zenverge ($30M) and Vidyo ($25M). The Q2 '10 total tracks well against past quarters of $175.4M (Q1 '10 - U.S. only), $150.1M (Q4 '09) and $180.9M (Q3 '09) as investors clearly continue to be bullish on the video sector. In the past 5 quarters, investors have poured almost $814M into private U.S. video-related companies, which is impressive in light of the narrow window for public offerings.
In addition to the private financings, there was also plenty of deal activity in the video space in Q2 '10. This includes (in order of date announced), the remains of Veoh being sold to Qlipso, Juniper Networks acquiring software company Ankeena Networks, Nielsen buying video analytics firm GlanceGuide, ActiveVideo Networks adding network game developer TAG Networks, KIT Digital rolling up video asset manager Benchmark Broadcast Systems, Google acquiring Norwegian real-time video provider Global IP Solutions, Sonic Solutions buying DivX, Akamai adding mobile services platform Velocitude and RGB Networks acquiring mobile video encoder RipCode.
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.
Categories: Deals & Financings
Topics: Deals
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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
Categories: Deals & Financings
Topics: Deals, Investments
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