HotRoof Expands Line, Gets New Funding
HotRoof (www.hotroof.com) announced it expanded its StreamWriter product line with StreamWriter Select and StreamWriter Direct, products that let users create clip-based videos. Separately, the company announced a new round of funding from its existing investors.
The latest round of financing, which totals $825,000, will be devoted to developing and marketing HotRoof's StreamWriter line. Davenport Capital Ventures, a Braintree, MA-based venture capital firm led the company's last B round of financing of $3.3 million. This round also includes contributions from existing investors Village Ventures and Flavin, Blake & Co.
StreamWriter allows customers to create and deliver customized video content by repurposing existing video libraries. The company's service includes encoding, design, production, and streaming delivery, as well as video fulfillment. Previously, HotRoof worked closely with GolfDigest.com to create a web-based back-end informational database, as well as a site where users can search and create their own customized videos. The final output can be any streaming format, VHS, CD or DVD.
The new offering, StreamWriter Select, is designed for small-to-medium libraries of video clips. Users just select checkboxes and pick clips to create personalized music video play-lists, sports highlight reels, conference presentation highlight tapes, and "how-to" instructional videos. StreamWriter Direct is a click-to-order system for on-demand and just-in-time fulfillment of video programming of any length, delivered via physical media (DVD, VHS or CDs).
"While many software products in the market handle the production, management or delivery of video content, most new technology solutions only deliver content through streaming – essentially ignoring a major market for physical media products. We believe that content management and delivery strategies require businesses to provide truly personalized content both when audiences want it, and how they want it. With StreamWriter Select and StreamWriter Direct, we’ve expanded our product line to ensure that we offer the solutions that drive the highest possible ROI for businesses looking to deliver video online," said Bernard Plishtin, president and CEO of HotRoof, in a statement.
HotRoof's current customers include Advance/Conde Nast Publications, Lifetime Entertainment/Artisan Entertainment and PRIMEDIA.
StreamWriter Select and StreamWriter Direct begins at $5,000 for installation. The service includes application development and content editing.