Company Building Technological Improvements For Proven Market Raises New Funding

Video conferencing has become commonplace as companies of all sizes look to reduce travel costs and still conduct face-to-face meetings. Add the trend for telecommuting and a technology issue arises that Vidyo has emerged to resolve. The company has created technology that inexpensively links different types of devices for a single videoconference.

Vidyo started business in 2005. The company now has 9 patents and pending applications for 27 more for its VidyoRouter platform. The system allows video connection among users of a desktop computer, iPad, Android mobile phone, and other communication devices.

Vidyo is able to deliver video conferencing on multiple types of devices for a much lower price than most corporate conferencing systems. However, Vidyo connects a multi-screen telepresence room with other video conferencing systems as well as various mobile and desktop equipment.

Video quality is 60 frames per second in 1080p HD format, which is delivered at 500 kilobits per second per screen. This low amount of required bandwidth relative to other systems is what maintains Vidyo’s low cost. Prices range from around $6,000 per screen for 9-screen systems to $4,500 per screen for 20-screen systems.

Vidyo recently raised $22.5 million of new capital. This is the company’s fourth round of funding. The company plans to use the money for expansion of sales worldwide plus further improvement upon the high quality of its high video and voice technology.

Applicable uses for the Vidyo system are supply chain management, patient monitoring, distance learning, financial services, and military command centers. Vidyo has over 150 employees. Strategic partnerships exist with Google, Hewlett-Packard, Teliris, and Ricoh. Competitors include Microsoft’s Skype as well as Cisco.