ARMONK, N.Y.: IBM acquires Ustream, a provider of cloud based video streaming services, to create a New Video Services Unit for the IBM Cloud. This move extends IBM Cloud’s capabilities to offer better digital video services to its clients.

Ustream now becomes a member of IBM cloud services, and combines the assets of IBM’s R&D labs and strategic acquisitions to deliver a portfolio of video services to help clients across a wide range of industries integrate video into a strategic source of data. This includes industries such as media & entertainment, retail, education and government services.

The unit combines assets from Ustream, Clearleap, and technology from IBM’s other investments such as Aspera and Cleversafe as well as IBM’s R&D innovations.  This acquisition allows IBM’s cloud platform to allow clients to easily ingest, storeand manage live and on demand videos. It enhances the video services by providing analytics, language capabilities, applying rights management and distributing services across the globe.

Video has become a primary mode to engage customers. It includes webcasts, conference keynotes, training and education webinars, customer care, how to videos and more. Clients need a secure, scalable and open cloud solution to manage video services as 80% of the world’s data is unstructured and dark to computer systems that cannot effectively manage or exploit it. Video makes up a significant part of that data.

 The Ustream portfolio includes the open Ustream Development Platform which enables clients to create custom video apps to run video on any device and embed video into any application, securely and reliably. Clients can use the company’s real-time social sentiment analytics to gauge audience reactions to the live streaming content.

IBM will also integrate Ustream's development platform into Bluemix to allow clients to provide distinct video services to developers.

“Video has become a first-class data type in business that requires accelerated performance and powerful analytics that allows clients to extract meaningful insights,” says Robert LeBlanc, Senior Vice President, IBM Cloud. “Aligning our expansive video and cloud innovations into an integrated unit will create opportunities for clients to take advantage of this medium in the most strategic way possible."