Wowza Media Systems
Wowza Media Systems provides self-hosted and cloud-based video streaming infrastructure for mission-critical workflows across government, defense, healthcare, sports, and enterprise, powering 200,000+ instances in 140 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersEvergreen, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Wowza Media Systems does
Wowza Media Systems is a privately held video streaming infrastructure company founded in 2005 (incorporated 2007) and headquartered in Evergreen, Colorado, with operations in the United States and Sweden via its acquired Flowplayer subsidiary. The company sells a dual-product portfolio: Wowza Streaming Engine, a self-hosted, configurable Java-based media server that ingests live or file-based video and delivers it via RTSP, RTMP, SRT, WebRTC, HLS, LL-HLS, MPEG-DASH, and other protocols across on-premises, cloud, hybrid, edge, and fully air-gapped environments; and Wowza Video, a fully managed cloud streaming platform with usage-based billing, CDN integration, analytics, and player capabilities. A Flowplayer-branded HTML5 player extends the offering into web and mobile playback. The technical stack includes comprehensive REST APIs, a Java SDK, MCP support, AI Video Intelligence (object detection, event logging, BYOM), and integration with VMS platforms such as Milestone, Genetec, and Axis Camera Station.
Wowza Media Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wowza Media Systems
- Legal name
- Wowza Media Systems, LLC
- Website
- http://www.wowza.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Wowza Media Systems provides self-hosted and cloud-based video streaming infrastructure for mission-critical workflows across government, defense, healthcare, sports, and enterprise, powering 200,000+ instances in 140 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wowza Media Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Streaming Infrastructure Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Streaming Technology & SDK Providers (Low-latency video, input, client SDKs) (MPAFAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live Streaming & Low-Latency OTT Orchestration (LL-HLS, DASH, WebRTC) (MPAHAJAK), Live Stream Processing (Ingest, ABR Packaging, Just-in-Time Packaging) (MPAHAHAD), Video Player Delivery & Playback Optimization (ABR, QoE) (MPAHAIAD), DRM, License Delivery & Content Protection (Widevine/FairPlay/PlayReady) (MPAHAJAI)
Keywords
Where Wowza Media Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Evergreen
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wowza Media Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Streaming Engine Software Licenses: Subscription and perpetual license fees for Wowza Streaming Engine software, deployed on-premises or in private cloud. Plans include one-time monthly keys for short-term needs and annual enterprise agreements.
- Streaming Engine Instance Expansion: Additional instance licensing for scaling deployments beyond base subscription tier.
- Wowza Video Platform: Fully managed cloud platform with usage-based billing for streaming hours and viewer hours, plus optional add-ons and premium features.
- Wowza Video Subscriptions: One-time purchase plans and annual subscriptions for Wowza Video platform with included streaming and viewing hours.
- Hybrid Cloud Services: CDN, Flowplayer, and analytics services bundled with enterprise streaming engine deployments for hybrid cloud configurations.
- Professional Services: Expert guidance on technology integration, architecture optimization, and custom deployment services.
- Flowplayer Licensing: Video player licensing for HTML5 and mobile deployments with SDK and API access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | One Month - One-time license for occasional on-prem streaming needs |
| Subscription | Monthly | Basic Monthly - Ongoing on-prem hosted streaming needs |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise - Large-scale self-hosted streaming with custom requirements |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | One-Time Event - One-time live streaming events |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay As You Go - Ongoing streaming needs with fluctuating usage |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise - Large audiences or high-volume video |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Wowza Media Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wowza Media Systems sells configurable video streaming software and a managed cloud streaming platform. Its Wowza Streaming Engine is self-hosted media server software that ingests, transcodes, and delivers live and on-demand video across on-premises, private/public cloud, hybrid, edge, and air-gapped environments, with full programmatic control via REST API and Java SDK. Wowza Video is a fully managed, cloud-based streaming platform for live and on-demand video at scale, bundled with CDN, Flowplayer player, CMS, and analytics. The acquired Flowplayer product provides an HTML5 and mobile video player with HLS and MPEG-DASH playback and SDKs for customization.
Product overview
Wowza Media Systems offers a dual-core product portfolio consisting of Wowza Streaming Engine (self-hosted, configurable media server software) and Wowza Video (fully managed cloud platform). Flowplayer, acquired in 2022, provides HTML5 video player capabilities. The products support both live streaming and VOD workflows, deploy across on-premises, cloud, hybrid, and air-gapped environments, and integrate via REST APIs and SDKs. The 2025 acquisition of AVA Intellect added AI-native intelligent agent technology for video automation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wowza Video: Fully managed, cloud-based streaming platform for live and on-demand video at scale.
- Wowza Streaming Engine
- Flowplayer
Products and services
- Wowza Streaming Engine A powerful, configurable streaming server software that ingests live or file-based video, transcodes it into adaptive bitrates, and delivers it via protocols like HLS, DASH, WebRTC, RTMP, RTSP, and SRT. Deployable on-premises, in private/public cloud, hybrid, edge, or air-gapped environments with full programmatic control via REST API and Java SDK. Built for enterprise, government, defense, and media organizations running mission-critical video workflows.
- Wowza Video A fully managed, cloud-based streaming platform for live and on-demand video at scale. Provides complete delivery from ingest through playback, transcoding for optimal viewer experience, CDN-supported 99.9% uptime, and real-time streaming at scale with sub-second latency to large audiences. Bundled with CMS, analytics, and Flowplayer player support, with usage-based billing and annual subscriptions.
- Flowplayer An HTML5 video player for web and mobile devices providing HLS and MPEG-DASH playback, with SDKs and APIs for customization. Acquired by Wowza in September 2022 to enhance video player capabilities with advanced analytics, monetization features, and expanded European market presence. Sold via Flowplayer licensing for deployment on customer properties.
Companies that use Wowza Media Systems
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Wowza Media Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability7 records
Feature8 records
Wowza Media Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AVA IntellectcoreAcquisition of AVA Intellect, an AI-native startup specializing in intelligent agent technology for video platforms. The acquisition enhanced Wowza's AI-first product strategy by integrating AVA's agent framework into Wowza's streaming infrastructure for improved video insights and automation.
- FlowplayercoreAcquisition of Flowplayer, a Swedish video player company with nearly two decades of experience in video player technology. The acquisition expanded Wowza's technology portfolio with advanced analytics, monetization, and player features, and extended its international presence in Europe.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wowza Media Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kaltura: Video platform with cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment options across enterprise communications, education, and media. Comparable to Wowza in supporting both self-hosted and managed streaming models, and in serving government/enterprise verticals.
- AWS Elemental Media Services: Cloud-based media services from Amazon Web Services including MediaLive, MediaPackage, and MediaConvert for live and on-demand video workflows. A primary competitive threat to Wowza Video for customers already invested in the AWS ecosystem.
- Brightcove: Established video hosting, live streaming, and OTT platform serving enterprise media customers with a wider portfolio that includes monetization, analytics, and marketing tools. Competes with Wowza across both live streaming and VOD use cases for enterprise broadcasters.
- Dolby.io Media APIs (formerly Millicast): Real-time streaming platform acquired by Dolby, delivering sub-second WebRTC-based live video at scale. Competes with Wowza's Wowza Video and Streaming Engine low-latency capabilities for large-scale interactive live streaming customers.
Direct peers
- Mux: Cloud-native video streaming infrastructure platform offering live and VOD APIs, real-time analytics, and a video player. Directly competes with Wowza Video in the developer-first streaming infrastructure category, serving similar digital media and enterprise customers.
- JW Player: Video player and streaming infrastructure platform serving publishers and broadcasters with HLS/DASH playback, ad monetization, and CDN delivery. Comparable to Wowza's combination of Flowplayer and Streaming Engine for publisher/enterprise streaming use cases.
- Red5 Pro: Real-time video streaming server software supporting WebRTC, LL-HLS, and sub-second latency for interactive live applications. Directly competes with Wowza Streaming Engine in the self-hosted, low-latency streaming infrastructure category.
- Nimble Streamer: Lightweight media server software for live and VOD streaming with support for HLS, DASH, WebRTC, and SRT protocols. Competes directly with Wowza Streaming Engine for cost-conscious self-hosted streaming deployments.
Emerging players
- Ant Media Server: Open-source and enterprise streaming server supporting WebRTC, LL-HLS, and SRT for live broadcasting and video conferencing. Comparable to Wowza Streaming Engine as a configurable media server, though typically more price-competitive for SMB customers.
- Phenix Real-Time Solutions: Real-time video delivery platform focused on sub-second latency for live auctions, sports, and interactive broadcasts. Adjacent to Wowza's low-latency streaming capabilities, particularly competing in sports and event streaming use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wowza Media Systems social profiles
Digital presenceWowza Media Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Wowza Media Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wowza Media Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Wowza Media Systems subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Wowza Media Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wowza Media Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wowza Media Systems
What does Wowza Media Systems do?
Wowza Media Systems sells configurable video streaming software and a managed cloud streaming platform. Its Wowza Streaming Engine is self-hosted media server software that ingests, transcodes, and delivers live and on-demand video across on-premises, private/public cloud, hybrid, edge, and air-gapped environments, with full programmatic control via REST API and Java SDK. Wowza Video is a fully managed, cloud-based streaming platform for live and on-demand video at scale, bundled with CDN, Flowplayer player, CMS, and analytics. The acquired Flowplayer product provides an HTML5 and mobile video player with HLS and MPEG-DASH playback and SDKs for customization.
Is Wowza Media Systems a public or private company?
Wowza Media Systems is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Wowza Media Systems founded?
Wowza Media Systems was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Wowza Media Systems based?
Wowza Media Systems is headquartered in Evergreen, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wowza Media Systems make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Streaming Engine Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are streaming Engine Instance Expansion, wowza Video Platform, wowza Video Subscriptions, hybrid Cloud Services, professional Services and flowplayer Licensing.
Who are Wowza Media Systems's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kaltura, AWS Elemental Media Services, Brightcove and Dolby.io Media APIs (formerly Millicast). Direct peers are Mux, JW Player, Red5 Pro and Nimble Streamer. Emerging players are Ant Media Server and Phenix Real-Time Solutions.
Does Wowza Media Systems have an API?
Yes. Wowza provides comprehensive REST APIs for both Wowza Video (fully managed cloud platform) and Wowza Streaming Engine (self-hosted server). The APIs enable developers to build custom video streaming solutions, automate workflows, configure streams, manage assets, and integrate video capabilities into existing applications. Wowza Streaming Engine offers a Management REST API for configuration and control, while Wowza Video provides a REST API for all platform operations including live streaming, VOD, and analytics. Authentication methods include token-based access. Additionally, Java SDK is available for Streaming Engine customization and extension. Developer documentation is at developer.wowza.com/docs/wowza-engine/rest-api/openapi.
What industry is Wowza Media Systems in?
Wowza Media Systems's product category is Video Streaming Infrastructure Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAHAD, Streaming Technology & SDK Providers (Low-latency video, input, client SDKs), with a secondary code of MPAHAJAK, Live Streaming & Low-Latency OTT Orchestration (LL-HLS, DASH, WebRTC). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7370.