Sky invests in software tools developer You.i TV

Sky has agreed an investment in software tools provider You.i TV as part of a Series C round of funding.

You.i TV, which provides software tools aimed at addressing cross-platform app development, announced its Series C funding round in November 2018, sealing $23 million at the time.

Sky’s investment in the company will involve David Beazley, director of software engineering at the media company’s NOW TV streaming service joining the You.i TV board. He will join representatives from the likes of AT&TT, Causeway Media Partners and Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors.

The You.i Engine allows users to build services on mobile devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and streaming devices from a single code base. Its customer base includes the likes of A+E Networks, AT&T, Fox, Twitch and the NBA.

The platform also supports React Native, an open-source development framework pioneered by Facebook, as part of a unified app strategy.

“The backing of Sky, alongside our existing strategic investors, highlights the fact that You.i TV is at the forefront of the trend solving the world of device fragmentation as consumers demand content everywhere,” said You.i TV CEO Jason Flick.

“With the support of this group of strategic investors we look forward to fuelling the expansion of You.i TV’s global footprint, developer community, and reimagining the ad experience.”

Sky did not disclose how much it has invested in the platform, but the European broadcaster said the agreement highlights its commitment to boosting user experience across different platforms, including mobile, set-top boxes, games consoles and streaming services.

NOW TV director of software engineering David Beazley said: “Sky and You.i TV share a vision to connect customers to great content, via easy, frictionless user experiences. Through this investment, both Sky and You.i TV will be able to share learnings and gain insights into how world-class viewing experiences can be easily replicated across multiple devices.”