Monday, April 7, 2008

Brightcove signs deals with five social media sites

Internet video distributor Brightcove Inc. has landed a round of partnerships with five online media companies in California.

The deals will allow the online companies to program and syndicate advertising-supported content through the Brightcove's Internet TV platform, officials report. The new companies include social media site Bebo Inc., online messaging site Meebo Inc., social networking application provider RockYou Inc., personal media network Slide Inc. and online video provider Veoh Networks Inc., all based in California.

Financial details of the partnerships were not disclosed. According to officials, Brightcove expects to continue to add new distribution partners over the course of the year.

Brightcove was launched in early 2005 and provides a distribution platform for video content on the web. It has raised more than $86 million in private funding since its inception, including a $59.5 million round in early 2007.

Brightcove's CEO, Jeremy Allaire, was a co-founder of Allaire Corp., well-known for its Cold Fusion software during the web boom of the 1990s.

Investors include private equity firms Accel Partners of California, Brookside Capital Partners of Conn. and General Catalyst Partners of Waltham, as well as several high-profile media companies, include the Hearst Corp., The New York Times Co. and America Online.