The brain children behind the Internet ventures, Skype and Kazaa are at it again. This time, the entrepreneurial duo, Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, are planning to develop new software for distributing television and other video over the Web, according to Buisnessweek.com.
The Web magazine reported that Zennstrom and Friis have assembled teams of top software developers in about a half-dozen cities around the world to work on this exciting new project known as “The Venice Project”. Some specific cities included in the venture are New York, London and Venice. While it is unclear whether agreements have been reached at this time, each team is fervently negotiating with television networks on behalf of the Project. Parties involved with “The Venice Project” hope to make a formal announcement by early this fall.
Other Ventures
Zennstrom and Friis have a track record for developing innovative Internet software systems. Previous ventures include: Kazaa, a file-sharing network that consumers used for the distribution of music and video and Skype, a peer-to-peer VoIP phone service company.
Due to legal battles with the recording and motion picture industries over illegal file-sharing, Kazaa's popularity has waned in recent years. However, Sharman Networks – the current owner of Kazaa– has recently settled, and vows to restructure the file-sharing program to block customers who try to find and download copyrighted music and movies.
Skype was also originally created by Zennstrom and Friis and later sold to Ebay. This software system allows users to make free, high-quality phone calls over the Internet.
How “The Venice Project” Differs
Zennstrom and Friis have learned from the controversey that plagued Kazaa; this time around, the duo is encouraging input from TV producers and television networks. With the support of industy cooperation, Zennstrom and Friis hope that “The Venice Project” becomes the dominant video distributor for the Internet era.
