How LiveU has defined the industry it once disrupted — and brought major media players along for the ride

CNBC looks at companies that made the inaugural Disruptor 50 list 10 years later.

LiveU was inspired to create a product that would consolidate video production materials after they attended a soccer game and saw a bulky setup.

The Israel-based startup's demo hardware, which was only half the size of a laptop, and claimed to reliably and cheaply deliver up to 2 MB per second, impressed investors in its first year.

They used existing cellular, wi-fi, and wiMAX signals to transmit live video and provide a more reliable and affordable alternative to television news satellite transmission trucks.

LiveU launched at a crucial time as both traditional broadcasters and online outlets provided a fast-growing demand for cellular-based live video transmission Television broadcasters were being held to higher standards of both quality and turn around time, as well as mass streaming services, which were gaining popularity, and creating a demand for online video consumption and livestreaming. The promise resulted in $23 million in funding.

LiveU was prepared to fulfill that demand. In 2012 the company became the go-to for companies looking to uplink HD video while on the field. The company raised $27,000,000 in Series D funding.

This marked a turning point for the company, as it moved beyond its roots in hardware and focused on being a solutions-based company.

LiveU solo was a solution that allowed users to stream from professional cameras directly onto platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

LiveU made the biggest change in news broadcasting.

LiveU's technology helped bring "newsgathering into the internet age", according to the company's vice president of marketing.

Journalists and broadcasters were able to get close to the action with LiveU.

In a memo to staffers in 2014, ABC News President James Goldston accredited its evolution for news broadcasters to LiveU.

LiveU technology was used to broadcast the 2016 and 2020 U.S. elections.

Francisco Partners, a global technology-focused private equity firm, along with co-investor I GP Capital, acquired LiveU for $200 million.

The Carlyle Group bought LiveU for $400 million.

The surge in demand for live video content that continued to grow alongside the internet was one of the reasons for the near doubling of its valuation in less than two years.

Important events like weddings, graduations, and sporting events were forced to be attended virtually as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic. The events that needed new streaming sophistication were large and heavy.

LiveU's new product evolutions have been focused on disrupting sports like the broadcast news industry did.

During the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, LiveU allowed for a deeply intimate streaming experience, covering not only the main events, but also letting viewers experience so many other moments.

"Our solutions help to build a bridge between the athletes and viewers worldwide, delivering the full sports experience," he said.

LiveU clients now include global broadcasters and news agencies, as well as NASA, American Airlines and Amazon, with its products being behind the coverage of some of the most popular live broadcasted events.

LiveU has evolved from a hardware alternative to satellite trucks to a end-to-end video contribution, production and distribution solution.

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