Veoh
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video sharing |
| Founded | September 2005 |
| Founder | Dmitry Shapiro, Ted Dunning |
| Defunct | November 11, 2024 |
| Fate | Ceased operations; acquired by Qlipso Inc. (2010), then FC2, Inc. (2013) |
| Headquarters | San Diego , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (restricted in some countries) |
Key people | Dmitry Shapiro (founder, CEO) |
| Products | Video sharing platform |
Number of employees | 45 (2009) |
Veoh () was a U.S.-based video-sharing platform introduced in September 2005 by founders Dmitry Shapiro and Ted Dunning.
Originally launched as a virtual television network application, Veoh transitioned to a video-sharing service in March 2006. During the mid-2000s, it ranked among the largest video-sharing websites but eventually lost ground to competitors like YouTube, Dailymotion, and Vimeo. In February 2010, Veoh filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, yet was acquired two months later by the technology firm Qlipso Inc. Later, in June 2013, it was purchased by the Japanese blogging service provider FC2, Inc.
On October 17, 2024, Veoh declared plans to cease operations on November 11, 2024. After shutting down, visitors were redirected to FC2 Video, where Veoh’s entire video archive was transferred. Former users retained access to their uploaded content on FC2 Video by using their original login credentials.
History
The concept for Veoh originated with web developer Dmitry Shapiro during his honeymoon in 2004, aiming to build a platform that empowered anyone to capture and share videos online. The company secured roughly $70 million in funding from venture capitalists and media investors such as Time Warner, Michael Eisner's Tornante Company, Spark Capital, Shelter Capital Partners, Tom Freston’s Firefly3 LLC, Jonathan Dolgen (former chairman of Viacom Entertainment Group), Intel, and Goldman Sachs.
Veoh introduced its early content distribution technology in September 2005 and rolled out its comprehensive beta version by March 2006. The service officially left beta testing in February 2007.
In addition to user-generated videos, Veoh provided content from prominent media corporations through its VeohTV Beta platform. Partners included CBS, ABC, The WB, Viacom's MTV Networks, ESPN, FEARNet, Billboard, Ford Models, Us Weekly, and TV Guide. Independent producers featured on the platform included NextNewNetworks, 60 Frames, Can We Do That?, Goodnight Burbank, and Dave and Tom.
The involvement of Michael Eisner as both an investor and board member generated considerable media interest. He participated in a $12.5 million second-round funding in April 2006 alongside Time Warner and reaffirmed his commitment during a $25 million Series C financing round in August 2007.
Veoh faced legal disputes such as a 2006 claim from IO Group, Inc., which was ultimately resolved in Veoh’s favor under the DMCA "safe harbor" protections. In a separate case filed by Universal Music Group in 2007, courts ruled in favor of Veoh in 2009 and upheld that decision on appeal in 2011.
In May 2008, Veoh discontinued services in various countries to focus efforts on its top 34 markets that accounted for over 90% of its audience. This decision impacted users globally but was positioned as a strategic realignment rather than merely cost-cutting.
By 2008, Quantcast reported that Veoh attracted around 17 million unique visitors each month.
Following workforce reductions—including layoffs in November 2008—Veoh further reduced staff by cutting 25 employees in April 2009, leaving approximately 45 team members. Dmitry Shapiro returned as CEO at this time to redirect the company’s strategy away from direct competition with YouTube and Hulu.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy
In February 2010, Shapiro revealed on his blog that Veoh had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, attributing the decision to ongoing legal disputes and unfavorable macroeconomic conditions. Subsequently, on April 7, 2010, the Israeli blogging platform Qlipso acquired Veoh through the bankruptcy process for an undisclosed amount, with the intention of growing its user community and boosting revenue.
During 2009 and 2010, Veoh experienced access limitations across several countries such as the Czech Republic, Lebanon, Malaysia, Serbia, Egypt, Romania, Turkey, Thailand, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Mongolia. Some of these restrictions were eventually reversed; for instance, users in Serbia regained access by mid-2011 but faced renewed blocks by December of the same year. As of April 2012, users in Macau continued to be denied access.
In June 2013, Qlipso transferred ownership of Veoh to the Japanese blogging service FC2 for an undisclosed price. By this point, Veoh had lost ground to competitors like YouTube, Dailymotion, and Vimeo, no longer holding a significant share in the video-sharing industry.
Closure
Veoh announced on October 17, 2024, that it would cease operations on November 11, 2024, without providing a detailed explanation. Following the shutdown, all site traffic was redirected to FC2 Video.
See also
- Comparison of video services
- IO Group, Inc. v. Veoh Networks, Inc.
- UMG Recordings, Inc. v. Shelter Capital Partners LLC
External links
- Articles with short description
- Internet properties established in 2005
- Internet properties disestablished in 2024
- 2010 mergers and acquisitions
- Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2010
- Former video hosting services
- Video on demand services
- Online mass media companies of the United States
- Companies based in San Diego
- Goldman Sachs
- Intel
- Private equity portfolio companies