Chew
Video streaming service for DJs to show off their mixing skills.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
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| - | investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round |
| N/A | €0.0 Valuation: €0.0 | round | |
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| investor | €0.0 Valuation: €0.0 | round | |
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| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Chew.tv emerged in January 2015 as a niche live-streaming platform specifically designed for DJs and the electronic music community. Founded by Wil Benton and Ben Bowler, the venture originated from their shared passion for music and technology. Bowler's prior experience in live streaming for music events was the catalyst for the platform's creation, with Benton leaving his advertising agency job to focus on the business development and marketing aspects. The duo's journey was significantly boosted by their participation in the Ignite startup accelerator, which provided the crucial early-stage support and focus to refine their concept.
The platform enabled DJs, from amateurs to seasoned professionals, to broadcast their sets in real-time using either a simple webcam or a more complex camera setup. The core value proposition was to offer a user-driven community where creators could engage with a global audience, breaking away from the solitary confines of a bedroom or studio. It served as both a performance stage and a learning environment, where users could observe the techniques of other DJs. Growth was primarily organic, driven by word-of-mouth within its community. A significant milestone was the acquisition of its largest competitor, Mixify, which was expected to transition a user base more than ten times Chew.tv's existing registered members.
The business model initially offered a free service, with plans to monetize through subscriptions that would unlock additional features like extended archiving of past shows. However, the company faced significant financial hardship in early 2017 after its infrastructure was misused for illegally streaming a major sporting event, leading to substantial costs. Despite a successful GoFundMe campaign supported by its user base, which raised over £12,000, the company's financial struggles continued. In September 2017, Chew.tv was acquired by BandLab Technologies, a social music-making platform. Following the acquisition, Chew.tv was rebranded as Chew by BandLab, with its streaming technology set to be integrated into BandLab's own applications to serve a user base of nearly 2 million.
Keywords: DJ streaming, live performance, music community, video platform, electronic music, startup accelerator, user-generated content, acquisition, BandLab, creator tools