Real-time video sharing tool Grabyo has raised $2m from investors including footballers Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Thierry Henry and NBA star Tony Parker.
Grabyo lets broadcasters and content rights holders create and share video clips in real time.
The service caters for integrated sponsorship and advertising assets, and helps the brands distribute the content across the web, social mobile apps and third party video platforms.
Video, mobile and social
Grabyo customers have included BSkyB, ITV and Channel 5, including coverage of FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Wimbledon, ATP World Tour, The Ryder Cup, UFC, UEFA Champions League and the BRIT Awards.
The company is also now building partnerships with a number of football clubs.
CEO Gareth Capon says premium rights holders now recognise the value of making content available wherever their customers spend their time.
Video, mobile and social are the most important growth sectors of the global advertising industry – and Grabyo sits across all three.
Famous faces
The first of an impressive array of big name endorsers, Thierry Henry praised Grabyo for making it “easy for fans to follow the action by making the best moments available in an instant”.
Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs commented:
The fans are on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter – this is where the engagement is and brands want to be a part of that conversation.
Meanwhile Robin van Persie expressed his pleasure in backing the London startup:
I’ve witnessed first hand the immediate response from fans when videos are shared on Facebook and Twitter.