We’ve written about the struggles of Move Networks in the past, but with the news today that it has laid off all its employees and is looking for a buyer, we decided to do a roundup of the rise and fall of the once high-flying online video startup. Move Networks has had a long, strange trip from its early days of making network TV watchable online to its transition as a technology provider to ISP customers, and along the way, it has provided us with plenty of NewTeeVee fodder over the last several years.
Here’s a history of the company, through NewTeeVee links:
December 2006 – Move Networks Gets $11M for Streaming Video – Move raises $11.3 million of a $12.17 million Series B round in our first story about the then-stealth startup.
February 2007 – Move Networks Makes Web TV Watchable – NewTeeVee takes its first look at Move Networks technology, as it announces Fox Network, the CW, Televisa and E! Online as customers.
October 2007 – Move Networks Raises Millions – During the big-money online video gold rush of 2007, Move Networks raises $34 million from Steamboat Ventures and Hummer Winblad Venture Partners. Fun fact: Dailymotion raises $34 million and Joost raises $45 million that year.
March 5, 2008 – Move Networks Makes Its Silverlight Move – Move gets its technology integrated into the newest version of Microsoft’s Silverlight plugin.
March 26, 2008 – Move Crosses the Hour Threshold – Then-CEO John Edwards says end users are spending more than an hour per session watching content Move provides.
April 2008 – Move Networks Raises $46M – The company announces a $46 million Series C funding round from Benchmark Capital, Cisco, Comcast Interactive Media, Televisa, Disney venture arm Steamboat Ventures and Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, bringing total funding to $70 million.
August 2008 – Microsoft Gets a Piece of Move Networks – Microsoft extends its strategic relationship with Move by adding an undisclosed amount of funding to the startup’s $46 million Series C round.
February 2009 – Move Networks Lays Off 30 Percent – In the first major sign that Move might be in trouble, the company cuts about 30 percent of its workers.
April 2009 – Move Networks Acquires Inuk for Broadcast TV on PCs – Move acquires Inuk to add a broadcast component to its ongoing efforts to distribute television over the Internet.
July 2009 – Move Networks Names Roxanne Austin CEO – The former president and COO of DirecTV takes over the helm in an attempt to transition Move from a company pitching high-quality video delivery to one selling IPTV services to ISPs.
October 2009 – Adobe to Finally Support HTTP Streaming – Adobe jumps on the adaptive bit rate streaming bandwagon, rendering Move Networks’ technology advantage moot.
December 2009 – Comcast Opens Up TV Everywhere Service – Comcast rolls out its TV Everywhere service using Move Networks technology despite the fact that most video sites have moved to Flash.
January 20, 2010 – Fox Drops Move Networks for Brightcove, Adobe Flash – One of Move’s biggest media accounts switches horses, goes to Adobe Flash.
January 26, 2010 – The Fall of Move Networks – Here we look at how Move went from being a high-flying video startup to beleaguered technology company in just a few short years.
February 2010 – Move Networks Lays Off About 15% of Workforce – Move Networks reduces its headcount by about 10-15 percent, leaving the company with 107 employees total.
June 2010 – Got $150M? Move Networks Could Be Yours! – In which the company announces it is for sale on Twitter and the CEO steps down.

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