OnTheAir video chat startup announced today on their official website that they have been acquired by Yahoo. It’s an amazing achievement for a startup that was launch this year in March.
It’s Yahoo’s second acquisition ever since Marissa Mayer joined them as CEO. But what is OnTheAir? OnTheAir was founded in March 2012 by a team of 5 young enthusiasts. For those who are familiar with Skype and Google+ Hangouts it’s more like a merger between these two services.
With OnTheAir you can organise hangouts that can be watched by an audience of hundreds or thousands of persons worldwide. It’s more like a live stream hangout.
It appears that there are big plans ahead for Yahoo and these acquisitions are being made for a reason. OnTheAir’s CEO Josh Schwarzapel told Mashable his five member team will join “Yahoo’s mobile division in San Francisco to begin working on undisclosed projects”.
Actually it’s the end of an interesting startup, but the confirmation that Yahoo is going forward. I’m sure in 2013 we will hear more about Yahoo’s future projects and we’ll have once for all the confirmation that Marissa Mayer will put Yahoo where it once was.
Here is OnTheAir official announcement:
OnTheAir is Joining Forces with Yahoo!
Friends of OnTheAir,
We are excited to share some big news: OnTheAir has been acquired by Yahoo!.
When we started OnTheAir, we had dreams of building a company that made a difference in the daily lives of millions. Our pursuit was challenging: We put in late nights together. We debated intensely. We worked like crazy to build a product we were proud to put our name on.
Despite the challenges, our experience has been a rewarding one. We got to launch multiple products to a wonderful community. We were coached and mentored by some of the brightest investors and advisors in Technology (see our list below and work with them if you ever get the chance!). Most importantly, we developed deep bonds as a team and learned how to work together as a unit.
While we haven’t yet attained our dream of building a widespread daily use product, we are just as committed to it. And this is why we’re so excited to be joining Yahoo!. When we first met with the team at Yahoo!, it was clear that everybody there is committed to making mobile products the backbone for the world’s daily habits. All in all, it’s a fascinating time to be joining Yahoo!. There’s a tremendous amount of energy in the company. There are big things to be done and great products to be built, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.
We want to conclude this letter with a word of gratitude. Thank you to all of our customers, team members, mentors, advisors, investors, consultants, friends, and family for being a special part of OnTheAir. Building a company is no easy task, and we realize we wouldn’t be anywhere without your support.
The OnTheAir Team
Abel, Dan, Erik, Josh, and Mike
