IBM buys Clearleap to boost cloud video services

IBM has bought cloud-based video services company Clearleap in a bid to boost its cloud computing initiatives.

Announcing the deal, IBM said that Clearleap will be integrated into its IBM Cloud platform, allowing users to access video from any device at any time and use it as a source of data.

The move forms part of IBM’s wider strategy to help clients “unlock the value of video” as it grows in importance in business, and to improve the performance and management of its video offerings.

“Clearleap joins IBM at a tipping point in the industry when visual information and visual communication are not just important to consumers, but are exploding across every industry,” said Robert LeBlanc, senior vice president, IBM Cloud.

IBM said the deal would help it to service customers from across different industries looking for a secure, scalable, and open cloud-based solution to manage their video services.

Clearleap CEO, Braxton Jarratt, said that the takeover will allow Clearleap to extend its global reach and to “grow and scale like never before”.

“With consumer demand for video growing exponentially, the business of creating compelling and personalised video experiences is booming. This makes the acquisition by IBM, a global leader in technology, a perfect fit,” said Jarratt.

Clearleap offers a scalable video platform that has been used by the likes of HBO, A+E Networks, the NFL, BBC America, Sony Movie Channel, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon Communications.

Its open API framework lets organisations build video into applications or offer access to third-party applications that customers may already have.

The company was founded in 2008, is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia and has data centers in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Las Vegas and Atlanta.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.