Myplay

MyPlay develops an all-in-one automatic sports live streaming production platform, MyPlayPRO, leveraging AI camera technology. This solution democratizes professional-grade broadcasting for sports federations, clubs, and facilities, enabling simplified, high-quality capture and distribution of events. Its technical approach focuses on accessible, automated visual content creation.

Established in 2015 in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, MyPlay originated from the insight that professional sports broadcasting capabilities should be universally accessible. The company was founded to empower sports organizations with advanced, user-friendly tools, promoting greater community engagement and providing a platform for athletic development.

MyPlay primarily serves a global clientele of sports federations, clubs, and athletic facilities. The company envisions itself as the leading solution for live sports event broadcasting, connecting athletes, coaches, and fans through engaging, high-quality visual experiences. Its long-term focus is to continually innovate, elevating the accessibility and impact of sports content.

High-Level Overview

Myplay was a pioneering digital music company that introduced the "digital music locker" service, allowing users to upload, store, and access their music collections from anywhere via the internet. It targeted music enthusiasts seeking a centralized, accessible library amid the early Napster-era shift to digital audio, solving the problem of fragmented physical media and nascent online storage by offering seamless downloads and playback. The company raised significant early funding—$5 million in its Series A from Institutional Venture Partners, Integral Capital Partners, and Allen & Co., followed by $18 million led by Vulcan Ventures—and achieved rapid traction before its acquisition.[1][3][4]

Origin Story

Myplay was co-founded in 1999 in Redwood City, California, by David Pakman, who served as President of Business Development and Public Policy. Pakman brought deep expertise from prior roles: he co-created Apple's Music Group in 1995 and was Vice President at N2K Entertainment, one of the first online music companies with digital download services. The idea emerged during the explosive growth of digital music sharing post-Napster, positioning Myplay as a legal, user-friendly alternative with its innovative locker concept. Early traction was strong, evidenced by quick funding rounds and its sale to Bertelsmann’s eCommerce Group in 2001.[3]

(Note: A separate entity named MyPlay, founded in 2015 in the United States, appears in records but lacks further details and is unrelated to this early digital music pioneer.[2])

Core Differentiators

• Pioneering Digital Locker Model: First to introduce the "digital music locker," enabling users to store and stream personal music libraries online, predating modern services like iTunes Match or Amazon Music Locker.[3]
• Investor Pedigree and Funding Momentum: Attracted top-tier backers including Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Ventures ($18M round), Institutional Venture Partners, Integral Capital, and Allen & Co., signaling strong validation in a nascent market.[1][4]
• Leadership Expertise: Co-founder David Pakman's background in Apple's music initiatives and N2K provided a head start in digital music infrastructure and policy navigation.[3]
• Rapid Path to Exit: Achieved acquisition by Bertelsmann in 2001 after just two years, demonstrating product-market fit during the dot-com era's music digitization wave.[3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Myplay rode the early 2000s digital music revolution, catalyzed by Napster's peer-to-peer disruption and the RIAA's crackdown on piracy, which created demand for legal storage and access solutions. Its timing was ideal: launching in 1999 just as broadband expanded and consumers digitized CD collections, it influenced the evolution from downloads (e.g., N2K) to cloud-based lockers, paving the way for giants like Spotify and Apple Music. By proving the viability of music lockers, Myplay shaped the startup ecosystem, inspiring investor interest in consumer internet audio tech and contributing to Bertelsmann's digital pivot.[1][3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

As an early innovator acquired in 2001, Myplay's legacy endures in today's ubiquitous cloud music services, but its direct operations ceased post-Bertelsmann integration. Looking ahead, the digital locker concept continues to evolve with AI-driven personalization and Web3 ownership models (e.g., NFTs for music rights), trends that echo Myplay's disruption. Its influence may resurface through alumni like David Pakman, now at Venrock backing audio-adjacent startups in consumer tech and AI, potentially amplifying similar breakthroughs in a streaming-dominated landscape.[3] This early win underscores how timely infrastructure bets can define enduring categories in tech.