Ooyala acquires Nativ
June 30, 2015
In a move that expands its technology stack into video production, pre-production and broadcast planning for hybrid OTT and on-air video services, video, analytics and advertising technology provider Ooyala, an independent subsidiary of telecommunications company Telstra, has acquired Nativ, a provider of cloud-based media logistics and workflow software and services.
Nativ’s modular suite of media production, post-production, delivery and syndication workflow software, called MioEverywhere, redefines end-to-end media management for today’s data-driven, multiscreen world. It removes the cost and complexity of creating, managing and delivering content in the cloud.
Nativ is Ooyala’s second acquisition within the last nine months, following its purchase of Europe’s top video ad tech provider, Videoplaza, last October. It is the next step in Ooyala’s multi-phase strategy to deliver the most comprehensive, data-driven personalised TV and video platform that will power the next generation of television.
The acquisition comes at a pivotal time for the industry, as the traditional systems for managing media workflow for on-air content delivery are undergoing major transformation, in the same way that media delivery and monetisation solutions are transforming into more open, modular, cloud-based systems.
The Mio platform automates many business critical processes in content production and packaging, and is designed to manage content more intelligently and drive down costs at every stage of the TV supply chain. Ooyala plans to operate Nativ as a stand-alone new line of business under the Ooyala brand. Over time it will integrate Nativ’s technologies with its core video publishing, analytics and monetisation platform.
According to Jay Fulcher, president and chief executive officer for Ooyala, the new TV marketplace can’t be serviced by legacy broadcast business systems. “New data-driven technologies and services will transform the way broadcasters, media companies and brands operate in the era of multi-screen consumption. A transformation of this scale represents massive opportunity for the innovators that can drive new, future-proofed standards. Nativ’s Mio platform puts Ooyala even further at the forefront of providing a true end-to-end platform that can serve all video business needs end to end, from production through to monetisation.”
Charlotte Yarkoni, president of Telstra Software Group and vice chairman of the board for Ooyala, described combining Nativ’s technology and team with Ooyala as “a big step forward” in executing their shared vision for a consolidated, global leader in personalised cloud TV and video. “Nativ opens a lucrative new line of business for Ooyala. Following its acquisition of Videoplaza last October, it provides key media management and broadcast planning technologies that will extend the reach and power of its video, analytics and advertising offerings. Ooyala will stand out as a trusted provider who can meet the needs of broadcasters and media companies every step of the way.”
“For Nativ, becoming part of Ooyala enables us to catapult our business into a new phase of rapid growth, at global scale. We have a very strong shared vision for enabling the world’s broadcasters and media companies to more easily, and more profitably, adapt to the major shifts in TV industry technologies and business models,” said Jon Folland, chief executive officer of Nativ, who will remain part of the Ooyala executive team under Fulcher’s leadership. “With the backing of Telstra and their commitment to making the ongoing investments to support a rapid pace of innovation, we are now best in class in both stand-alone media logistics software and comprehensive, data-driven cloud TV.”
The Mio platform includes a module for end-to-end management of multiscreen ad campaign workflows, and a sophisticated data management module that gives companies the ability to model, gather and manage data across their entire value chain, helping to expand audience reach and increase profits. This data management module is highly complementary to Ooyala’s own analytics engine that powers personalization and revenue optimization for users of its video platform.