Philo (company)

Philo

Company type	Private
Industry	Streaming television
Predecessor	Tivli
Founded	2010 (2010) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Founder	Tuan Ho, Nicholas Krasney
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Andrew McCollum (CEO)
Products	OTT streaming television service
Parent	Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, AMC Networks, A+E Networks (joint owners)
Website	philo.com

Philo (previously known as Tivli) is a U.S.-based OTT streaming television provider headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established in 2010 at Harvard University by entrepreneurs Tuan Ho and Nicholas Krasney, the firm has secured investments from notable entities including HBO, AMC Networks, A+E Networks, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, CEO Andrew McCollum, and Mark Cuban. Named in honor of television innovator Philo T. Farnsworth, Philo serves more than 1.6 million subscribers as of 2025, offering channels owned by its stakeholders alongside third-party networks such as AMC's Shudder and AMC+.

Founding and early development (2010–2016)

Philo began as Tivli in 2010, a streaming initiative launched from a Harvard dorm room by founders Tuan Ho and Nicholas Krasney. Initially created to stream television signals to Harvard students, the platform quickly gained popularity, with one-quarter of campus residents signing up shortly after its 2011 debut.

After joining the Harvard Innovation Lab in 2011, Tivli expanded its IPTV service to other universities under CEO Christopher Thorpe starting in 2012, targeting institutions like Stanford, Yale, Texas A&M, and Brown. A key collaboration with HBO in 2013 allowed integration of HBO GO into the platform. By 2015, Tivli was operational across 42 universities.

In July 2013, Tivli secured $6.3 million in Series A funding led by New Enterprise Associates, attracting investors such as Mark Cuban, HBO, Ari Emanuel of Endeavor, and Rho Capital Partners. That year, the company rebranded as Philo and introduced cloud DVR functionality.

In 2014, Andrew McCollum—Facebook co-founder with extensive experience in technology startups—was appointed CEO to steer Philo’s evolution from a university-focused IPTV service to a direct-to-consumer OTT streaming provider. Following a $10 million Series B funding round in June 2015 led by New Enterprise Associates with participation from HBO, Rho Ventures, Xfund, CBC New Media Group, and McCollum himself, Philo relocated its headquarters to San Francisco to concentrate on scaling operations and expanding beyond academic markets.

Growth and expansion (2017–present)

Philo officially launched its OTT streaming television service across the United States on November 14, 2017. The platform is accessible on televisions, digital media players, computers, tablets, and mobile devices. It features channels from A&E Networks, AMC Networks, Discovery (prior to its merger with WarnerMedia), and Viacom (before merging with CBS to form Paramount Global). These companies collectively invested $25 million to become joint owners.

The service excludes local broadcast stations and sports networks but includes news content through BBC World News (via AMC), Cheddar, and the AccuWeather Network. In October 2018, Hallmark Channel along with its affiliated channels were added to the lineup.

In February 2020, Google Fiber discontinued TV packages for new customers but incorporated Philo’s $20 offering alongside YouTube TV and fuboTV to broaden its streaming selections. At that time, Philo reported having 750,000 subscribers and experiencing a threefold increase compared to the previous year. By June 2020, premium add-ons like Epix and Starz with TV Everywhere authentication were introduced.

On March 29, 2021, T-Mobile formed a partnership with Philo to provide discounted bundle options paired with wireless plans. In September of the same year, Philo debuted a "Movies & More" add-on including Sony Movies, Reelz, HDNet Movies, MGM HD, and Cinémoi. The company also participated as a launch partner for Comcast’s G4 revival in November 2021 and incorporated GAC Media’s GAC Living and GAC Family channels in December.

February 2022 marked Philo’s entry into original programming through an agreement with Kin while adding six Weigel Broadcasting channels such as MeTV and Heroes & Icons. Later that year FETV was included in the base package alongside Family Movie Classics joining the "Movies & More" bundle.

In May 2023, Philo broadened its "free TV" selection by introducing nine additional channels including The Bob Ross Channel and Drag Race Universe; however access requires subscribing to the $28 monthly package.

By March 2024, Dish Network collaborated with Philo to grant advertisers access to its audience inventory. On June 25, 2024, MeTV Toons was launched on Philo’s platform. AMC’s ALLBLK channel became available as an add-on option in January 2025.

In February 2025, Philo announced it had reached 1.3 million paid subscribers—a growth of 20% since 2023—and reported $450 million in revenue for 2024 representing approximately a 10% annual increase. The company anticipates achieving profitability within 2025.