Wowza Media Systems

Wowza Media Systems began its journey in 2007, co-founded by David Stubenvoll and Charlie Good. Their initial venture wasn't a streaming server, but a video blogging platform. In developing this platform, they encountered limitations with existing streaming technology, specifically Adobe Flash Media Server. This led Charlie Good to develop a proprietary Java servlet to meet their needs. It soon became apparent that this custom-built media server was garnering more interest than their primary product. Recognizing a significant gap in the market for flexible and professional-grade streaming infrastructure, Stubenvoll and Good made a pivotal decision. Over beers at a Coyote Ugly Saloon, they chose to pivot their entire business focus to this underlying streaming software. This marked the official birth of Wowza Media Systems, and they released their streaming server software for General Availability in the same year.

From these beginnings, Wowza has evolved into a comprehensive, full-service video streaming platform. The company's core philosophy has always been to simplify streaming technology and make it more accessible and powerful for a wide range of users. Over the years, Wowza has powered over 38,000 streaming implementations globally, establishing itself as a gold standard in live streaming technology. Their offerings have expanded from the initial Wowza Streaming Engine software to include Wowza Video, an integrated video platform, and Wowza Player, alongside robust APIs for developers. This ecosystem of software, cloud services, and hardware enables organizations across various sectors—including media, enterprise, government, aerospace, healthcare, and education—to build, deploy, and manage customized streaming solutions. In 2021, Wowza partnered with Clearhaven Partners, a private equity firm, to further fuel technological innovation and business growth, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the rapidly evolving streaming landscape. Today, Wowza continues to empower businesses to unlock the value of video, serving as a trusted partner for organizations looking to integrate reliable and scalable streaming capabilities into their products and services.