Mark Cuban leads funding of video startup Switchcam
Video technology combines footage from different cameras to allow people to see the same event from multiple angles.
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban is leading a round of seed funding in a new video startup called Switchcam that has technology that can be used to stitch together different videos of the same event so viewers can switch camera angles as they wish.
Other investors in the $1.2 million round, raised via AngelList, include Dave McClure's 500 Startups, Turner Media Camp, Vikas Gupta, Niket Desai, Reed Morse, David Beyer and Jeffrey Schox, Switchcam announced today.
Switchcam CEO Brett Welch told CNET that he got the idea while using his phone to take video of live music concerts. Unlike competitors in the space such as Outlisten, which focus on consumers, Switchcam sees a big opportunity in working with media companies and event organizers to create interactive video experiences for audiences and fans. The company is exploring use of the technology for sports events, television shows, and news events, and will be using some of the money for hiring, Welch said.While the entertainment opportunities are plenty, there is no doubt a use in re-creating real life events that lead to legal actions or disputes, such as with alleged vandalism at concerts or protests or even police brutality.
Switchcam searches different libraries to find videos based on titles, tags and other information provided by the videographer and then synchronizes the video so it can be played back in a multitude of ways, without the need for geo-location data or accurate time stamps, according to Welch.
Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and chairman of HDTV cable network HDNet, also recently invested in Smart TV startup Flingo and in Condition One, whose technology allows mobile device users to immerse themselves in full motion video by panning and moving the device as if they were in the scene.
Welch co-founded GoodBarry, a hosted application for building and managing online businesses that was acquired by Adobe in 2009 and is now called Business Catalyst. Updated 4:07 p.m. PT with more information on technology, other Cuban investments.