Kewego

Kewego, established in Paris, France, in 2003 by co-founders Michel Meyer and Olivier Heckmann, operated as an online video platform provider. The founding duo were serial entrepreneurs, having previously founded Multimania in 1995, a pioneering French web community that they took public and later sold to Lycos. Their journey began with the creation of PulseVision in 2003, which was rebranded as Kewego in 2006. This prior experience in building successful internet companies provided a strong foundation for their venture into the burgeoning online video market.

The company's core business was providing white-label video solutions for enterprises and media companies. Kewego offered a comprehensive platform that included all the necessary software, hardware, and bandwidth for clients to manage, broadcast, and monetize their video content across multiple platforms, including websites, intranets, mobile devices, and screen networks. The service allowed clients to integrate a fully branded video portal into their own websites using a customizable Flash Video Player. Its client base was diverse, encompassing major brands in media such as L'Equipe and M6, as well as large corporations in banking and automotive like Axa, BNP, and Renault.

Kewego demonstrated significant growth, securing a total of $19.4 million in funding over three rounds from investors including CDC Enterprises and Kreaxi. The company achieved profitability in 2009 and by 2010, reported revenues of approximately $10 million. This trajectory culminated in its acquisition on January 31, 2011, by KIT Digital, a Prague-based company listed on NASDAQ. The deal was valued at roughly $26.7 million and was part of KIT Digital's broader strategy to consolidate the online video platform market and expand its footprint in Western Europe. Following the acquisition, Kewego was rebranded as Piksel France, and its founders took on senior roles within KIT Digital, with Michel Meyer becoming Senior Vice President of Product Management and Olivier Heckmann serving as VP of Sales for Western and Southern Europe.

Keywords: online video platform, OVP, video asset management, video hosting, white-label video, video streaming solutions, digital media, video monetization, content delivery, enterprise video, Michel Meyer, Olivier Heckmann, Multimania, KIT Digital, Piksel, video broadcasting, Flash Video, video portal, content management system, SaaS, Paris, France, European tech