30 Jun 2015
ICON advise Nativ on the sale to Ooyala, a leading video, analytics and advertising technology provider. Ooyala, based in Santa Clara, is an independent subsidiary of Australian telco giant, Telstra.
Nativ is a provider of cloud-based media logistics and workflow software and services. Its 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 personalized TV and video platform that will power the next generation of television.
By adding Nativ’s media logistics platform, MioEverywhere, to its suite of personalized TV and video offerings, Ooyala’s technology stack now extends to video production, post-production, digital content services, broadcast planning and media management for both OTT and on-air content. This 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 monetization solutions are transforming into more open, modular, cloud-based systems.
The Mio platform is used by some of the world’s top content owners and brands, including ITV, Audi, Vubiquity, Dolby and the Financial Times (FT). It is an extremely powerful platform that automates many business critical processes in content production and packaging, 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 monetization platform.
Jay Fulcher, president and chief executive officer for Ooyala, said, “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 monetization.”
Charlotte Yarkoni, president of Telstra Software Group and vice chairman of the board for Ooyala, said, “Combining Nativ’s technology and team with Ooyala is a big step forward in executing our shared vision for a consolidated, global leader in personalized 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.“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.
Simon Moynagh, Investment Director at ICON, who acted for Nativ on the sale, added: "We are delighted to have advised the management team on their sale. This sought after acquisition extends Ooyala's reach into providing an end-to-end platform for all video business needs and allows Nativ to move into the next stage of rapid global deployment."