How This Startup Hopes to Improve Virtual Reality Video Delivery
Pixvana has raised $6 million to develop virtual reality video cloud production and a delivery platform for a 2016 launch.
...And yet when he began researching this new medium, he discovered no company was developing software that will help deliver high quality 360-degree video content through the cloud.
“Pixvana is a set of platform capabilities that will work with clouds such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and others to deliver great VR video experiences on major VR and AR headsets such as Valve’s Steam VR platform with HTC Vive, Oculus VR, Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, and those that we expect Apple, Amazon, and Google are also building,” Key says.
“The industry is going to deliver these VR headsets and they are going to be great,” Key says. “The real question is will the software/content be as marvelous as we think it has the potential to be, and that’s where VC capital is flowing (into software and content).”
Key says Pixvana does not see a distinction between live and pre-recorded video, which are both important markets for the company. This opens up additional livestreaming opportunities for companies like NextVR, IM360, and LiveLike VR, which have been exploring how VR can enhance viewer experiences for everything from sporting events to the MTV Video Music Awards.
The Seattle-based company received its initial $6 million investment led by Madrona Venture Group with participation from Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, as well as angel investors.
Key says this seed round will be used to expand the company’s engineering team and get its first products ready for market.
“We have quite a bit of core technology and systems working in the lab—this is our ‘get Version 1 to market’ funding,” Key says.
Key has assembled a team of executives from the technology and entertainment industries, including chief product officer Bill Hensler from Apple AMZN 1.53% and Adobe ADBE 1.68% , as well as CTO and creative director Scott Squires from Industrial Light and Magic, and vice president of product management Sean Safreed from Red Giant.
See the full story here: http://fortune.com/2015/12/14/prixvana-vr-video-delivery/