Facebook has brought in the team behind Vidpresso, which is a Utah-based company that partners with broadcasters and publishers in layering interactive elements such as polls, comments, and graphics on online videos.
All seven team members at Vidpresso will be joining Facebook and their technology will be integrated into the social network. And the Vidpresso team will be working at Facebook’s offices across Menlo Park, London, and Los Angeles.
“We will continue to help creators, publishers, and broadcasters create great live experiences, and focus on what we’re best known for: Enabling world-class interactive streams on Facebook Live. Our customers who currently use the product will continue to be able to do so following our transition to Facebook,” said Vidpresso on their website.
Vidpresso launched back in 2012 with a goal of making video easier to author and customize per person. Some of Vidpresso’s clients include BMW, Buzzfeed, Fox Sports, Nasdaq, NBC, MTV, and Turner Sports.
Ultimately, Facebook plans to use Vidpresso’s technology in a way that would enable independent video media creators with tools that even some of the largest publishers have.
“By joining Facebook we’ll be able to offer our tools to a much broader audience than just our A-list publishing partners. Eventually, it’ll allow us to put these tools in the hands of creators, so they can focus on their content, and have it look great, without spending lots of time or money to do so,” Vidpresso added in its announcement.
Facebook has been dabbling with interactive video tools of its own. For example, the company recently launched a Watch Party tool for Groups to chat about videos together. And there is a Lip Sync Live and Talent Show feature for users to share videos of themselves singing.
The financial terms of the Vidpresso deal were undisclosed. And according to TechCrunch, Vidpresso had raised some angel funding and only $120,000 in seed funding from Y Combinator back in 2014. And Vidpresso is believed to have hit profitability in 2016.
