JW Player
JW Player is a video software platform and embeddable player originally developed in 2004 by Dutch developer Jeroen Wijering as the first widely adopted tool for streaming video on web pages.[1][2] Now headquartered in New York City and operating as part of JWP Connatix following its October 2024 merger with the video advertising firm Connatix, JW Player provides comprehensive solutions for broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers to manage, deliver, and monetize live and on-demand video content across websites, apps, and connected devices.[3] The platform powers over 15 billion monthly video views for more than 7,000 customers, including 80% of the top 25 digital media companies by ComScore rankings, emphasizing its role in enabling scalable video experiences with high viewability rates exceeding 93%.[4] Founded in Eindhoven, Netherlands, JW Player evolved from Wijering's initial Flash-based player, distributed via his personal blog, into a commercial venture that pioneered key advancements in online video technology.[2] Early milestones include the 2008 release of the first Video Ad Serving Template (VAST)-compliant web player for integrated advertising and the 2010 introduction of the industry's first HTML5 video player, which facilitated broader accessibility as browsers phased out plugin dependencies.[1] By 2018, it launched the first video bidding solution to optimize programmatic ad auctions, and subsequent innovations encompassed video studio tools in 2021, digital rights management (DRM)-protected live streaming in 2022, and the Deep Contextual Targeting engine for privacy-compliant ad personalization that same year.[1] The merger with Connatix in 2024 created JWP Connatix, the largest independent video technology and monetization platform, combining JW Player's streaming and analytics capabilities with Connatix's full-stack advertising and audience engagement tools to support ad-supported video on demand (AVOD), subscription video on demand (SVOD), and targeted campaigns.[3] The platform handles 18 billion monthly ad impressions and over 13,000 live events annually.[4] JW Player's open-source roots and API-driven architecture continue to make it a foundational tool for video publishing, serving 89,000 domains and apps while prioritizing performance, security, and data-driven optimization.[4]History
Founding and early years
JW Player originated as an open-source Flash-based video player developed in 2004 by Jeroen Wijering, a student at the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands.[1] Wijering created the player to address the need for a simple tool to embed and play videos on websites, releasing it initially through his personal blog where it rapidly gained traction among developers.[5] The software, named after its creator's initials, supported basic playback features and was distributed freely, enabling widespread experimentation in the emerging field of online video.[6] In 2007, Wijering co-founded LongTail Video in Eindhoven to build a business around the player, focusing on support, enhancements, and related video services.[7] The company soon relocated its headquarters to New York City, establishing a presence in the U.S. market while maintaining a development team in the Netherlands.[8] This move positioned LongTail Video to capitalize on the growing demand for professional video solutions amid the online video boom. Early adoption highlighted the player's impact, notably powering YouTube's first embedded video player in 2005, which helped embed videos across the web and contributed to the platform's viral growth.[9] The open-source nature fostered a vibrant community that contributed improvements and extensions through 2007, when the player began integrating into LongTail Video's commercial ecosystem, marking the shift from purely community-driven development to supported offerings.[6]Key developments and rebranding
In 2010, LongTail Video acquired Bits on the Run, a leading self-serve online video management service that enabled users to upload, encode, store, manage, and stream videos.[10] This acquisition expanded LongTail's offerings beyond the player itself, and Bits on the Run was later rebranded as the JW Platform to provide an integrated solution for video hosting and management.[10] In October 2013, LongTail Video rebranded to JW Player, aligning the company name with its most recognized product to better reflect its focus on video delivery technology used across millions of sites worldwide.[11] The change emphasized the player's role as the core of the company's ecosystem, supporting its growth in web video publishing. The launch of JW Player 7 in August 2015 represented a pivotal technical advancement, shifting to HTML5 as the primary rendering mode with Flash fallback to accommodate broader device compatibility and prepare for the decline of Flash support.[12] This version featured a complete code rewrite for 35% faster loading times and added MPEG-DASH support for adaptive streaming; by mid-2015, it powered video on over 2 million websites, serving more than 17 billion streams monthly to 1 billion unique viewers.[12][13] Also in 2015, JW Player altered its licensing model for the free edition, adopting a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 license and ceasing full open-source distribution to prioritize commercial development and sustainability.[14] Throughout the mid-2010s, JW Player broadened its capabilities with integrated analytics for viewer engagement tracking and advertising features supporting VAST and VMAP formats, allowing publishers to optimize revenue from video content more effectively.[15]Acquisitions and merger
In May 2021, JW Player acquired VUALTO, a provider of live and on-demand video streaming and Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions, to enhance its video processing and delivery capabilities by integrating VUALTO's high-end live streaming and DRM services with JW Player's scalable video delivery and data insights.[16][17] This acquisition combined complementary video offerings, empowering broadcasters with greater independence and control in the digital video economy.[16] In January 2023, JW Player acquired InPlayer, a provider of subscription, transaction, and identity management solutions for video content, to bolster its paywall and subscription monetization tools.[18][19] The deal expanded JW Player's SaaS video platform by adding advanced subscription management and identity management technologies, enabling more robust audience insights and revenue optimization for video-driven businesses.[20][21] On October 9, 2024, JW Player announced its merger with Connatix, a video delivery and monetization solution, to form JWP Connatix, the industry's largest independent video technology and monetization platform.[3] The merger combined JW Player's video streaming and data insights with Connatix's advertising and content recommendation technologies, creating a comprehensive solution serving broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers with end-to-end video management and revenue tools.[22][23] Following the merger, as of early 2025, JWP Connatix has focused on integrating server-side ad insertion (SSAI) and advancing contextual advertising initiatives to support seamless ad delivery and privacy-compliant targeting in both broadcast and online video environments.[24] These developments leverage the combined platforms to enhance video monetization for publishers and broadcasters amid evolving regulatory and technological landscapes.[25]Company overview
Leadership and headquarters
Jeroen Wijering, the founder of JW Player, serves as Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at JWP Connatix, where he continues to drive product innovation, leveraging his expertise as the original creator of the video player technology.[1] Following the 2024 merger of JW Player and Connatix to form JWP Connatix, the company has integrated leadership from both entities into a unified executive structure. John Nardone was appointed Chief Executive Officer in March 2025, bringing extensive experience in media and technology to oversee the platform's growth in video monetization and delivery.[26] David Kashak, Co-Founder of Connatix, assumed the role of Chairman of the Board, providing strategic guidance on the combined operations.[1] The leadership team has expanded post-merger with key appointments, including Pat DeAngelis as Chief Technology Officer in October 2025, Kenneth Rona as Chief AI Officer, Chris Maccaro as Chief Revenue Officer since June 2025, John Mruz as Chief Marketing Officer since September 2025, and David LaPalomento as General Manager of Streaming and CTV in October 2025, reflecting organizational enhancements to support global video technology initiatives.[27][28] JWP Connatix is headquartered in New York City at 530 7th Avenue, Suite 1906.[29] The merger has bolstered its global presence with additional offices in Eindhoven (Netherlands), London (United Kingdom), and Tel Aviv (Israel), facilitating operations across Europe, the Middle East, and North America.[30] As of 2025, the company employs approximately 450 people worldwide, with the merger prompting structural integrations such as unified teams for engineering, sales, and product development to streamline video platform services.[31][32]Funding and financials
JW Player began its funding trajectory with a seed round of $910,000 in December 2007, followed closely by a Series A round of $1.22 million in September 2008 from investors including Accelerator Ventures.[33][34] These early investments supported the company's initial development as an open-source video player. Subsequent venture capital infusions came from firms such as Greycroft, Greenspring Associates, Cue Ball Capital, and e.ventures, enabling expansion into commercial video solutions and platform enhancements across multiple series rounds, including $5 million in Series B (November 2012), $20 million in Series C (2014), and $20 million in Series D (2016).[33][35][36] A significant milestone occurred in June 2021 with a $100 million Series E round led by LLR Partners, specifically aimed at accelerating innovation in subscription services, programmatic advertising, and other monetization tools amid surging demand for digital video.[37][38] By 2025, JW Player had amassed over $147 million in total funding across six rounds.[33] The 2024 merger with Connatix formed JWP Connatix, reshaping the financial structure through integrated operations and resources, with the combined entity projecting robust revenue growth from serving millions of daily video streams across broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers.[3][23]| Funding Round | Date | Amount | Lead Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | Dec 2007 | $0.91M | Undisclosed |
| Series A | Sep 2008 | $1.22M | Accelerator Ventures |
| Series B | Nov 2012 | $5M | Greycroft |
| Series C | Sep 2014 | $20M | Greycroft Growth, Greenspring Associates |
| Series D | Jan 2016 | $20M | Existing investors (Greycroft Growth, etc.) |
| Series E | Jun 2021 | $100M | LLR Partners |