Cisco
Systems has invested an undisclosed amount in Digitalsmiths, a startup that
develops video indexing, analysis and publishing technology.
Ben
Weinberger, founder and CEO of Digitalsmiths, said the two companies began
discussions late last year about working together. Specifically, Digitalsmiths
has collaborated with the Cisco Media Solutions Group, which is marketing
products to media and entertainment companies.
Cisco's
Media Solutions Group is "looking at how to provide their customers a deeper
set of metadata," Weinberger said. "We're bringing new ways to monetize and
mine content."
The
Digitalsmiths technology indexes video based in facial recognition, scene classification,
and object recognition. Data culled from the video analysis can then be used to
help consumers find videos they're searching for or place contextually relevant
advertising.
Cisco's
investment follows a previous $12 million Series B round announced in November
2008. The 35-employee firm has received approximately $20 million in funding to
date from 406 Ventures, The Aurora Funds and Chrysalis Ventures.
Digitalsmiths'
biggest customers include Warner Bros. Studios, which last year relaunchedWB.com,
and Time Warner's TMZ.com. Digitalsmiths is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
