Don’t Stop Believing – Imagine Communications Scores $15M for Broadband TV


The Broadband TV niche in Israel is on fire. Following RayV’s $8M round earlier this month, Israel-based Imagine Communications announced a second round and a hot upcoming deal.

Imagine develops Personalized TV technologies for video on demand (VOD) and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV). Imagine claims that its next-generation multiplexing technology, the QOD Gateway System, provides operators with:

  • 50%-100% more streams on existing network infrastructure
  • Greatly enhanced video quality
  • Future PersonalizedTV applications such as targeted ads and personalized audio

The platform uses a variable bit rate (VBR) platform. By employing VBR, a technique that changes bit rates on the fly, Imagine believes it can cram 15 standard-definition streams into one QAM channel, versus 10 streams using fixed, constant bit rate (CBR) technology. The efficiency also applies to high-definition television.

Founded in October 2004, Imagine Comm was previously known as QoD (Quality on Demand), the name of its initial product. Imagine previously raised $9.2M from Carmel Ventures II and Columbia Capital back in 2006. In its current round, Imagine Comm is raising $15M from previous backers and according to rumors also from US based Court Square Ventures (CSV). In addition to the financing round, Imagine Communications is also rumored to be on the verge of signing a significant long term partnership with a European communications mogul.

The founders of imagine are both veterans of BigBand Networks, one of Israel’s biggest IPOs ever. CTO and Co-founder Ron Gutman, former director of customer solutions at BigBand and SVP of Product Doron Segev, former lead of product and engineering for video apps at Big Band.
In June this year, BigBand filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Imagine Comm, claiming that Imagine’s co-founders are infringing three of BigBand’s patents on video processing and bandwidth management.

The company is based in Cardiff by the sea, CA and has offices in Israel as well. It currently has a head team of 35.

Follow me
Co Founder and Managing Partner at Remagine Ventures
Eze is managing partner of Remagine Ventures, a seed fund investing in ambitious founders at the intersection of tech, entertainment, gaming and commerce with a spotlight on Israel.

I'm a former general partner at google ventures, head of Google for Entrepreneurs in Europe and founding head of Campus London, Google's first physical hub for startups.

I'm also the founder of Techbikers, a non-profit bringing together the startup ecosystem on cycling challenges in support of Room to Read. Since inception in 2012 we've built 11 schools and 50 libraries in the developing world.
Eze Vidra
Follow me
Total
0
Shares
Previous Article

Shai Agassi Reinvents the Gas Pump for All-Electirc Cars @ Better Place

Next Article

The New Million Dollar Page (wannabe) and How I Saved an Alien

Related Posts
Read More

Avatar Creator Gizmoz Merges with Daz 3D

News just broke that veteran Israeli start up Gizmoz, creator of 3D head avatars has merged with Utah-based Daz 3D, an avatar creation service offering virtual 3D bodies. Existing investors Benchmark Capital, Highway 12 Ventures, and Columbia Capital, put in an additional $5.3 million into the new merged company.
IBC 2011 Amsterdam
Read More

IBC 2011 Attracts 28 Israeli Media and Mobile Startups to Amsterdam

The International Broadcast Convention (IBC) 2011 is the leading global tradeshow for broadcasting media and entertainment industry, covering the latest developments in broadcasting, mobile TV, IPTV, digital signage and forward looking R&D. This year, 28 Israeli startups in mobile, media and broadcasting technology are flocking in to IBC 2011.
Total
0
Share