Powering The Interactive Video Revolution

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in media and entertainment but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Wim Sweldens, Co-Founder & Chief Architect of Kiswe, located in New Providence, NJ, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am the Co-Founder and Chief Architect of Kiswe Mobile, a pioneer in interactive live streaming. We are customer focused, and our customers are companies who own, buy, and manage video content and are looking for ways to reach their audience through streaming services. Our customers need high-quality, cost-effective, customized content for different demographics. Using scalable, reliable, and safe distribution that is partner-first with payment and sponsor integration and activation. We know customer identity and analytics and help Increase watch times while retaining users and driving social invites.

Kiswe has powered the world’s largest virtual concerts and events, including Josh Groban, BTS, Justin Bieber, Queen + Adam Lambert, Smosh, The Try Guys, The Rolling Stones, and many others. Kiswe also works with major sports teams and events, including the NBA, PPV.COM, ESPN, and most recently with the LA Clippers, to bring alternative broadcasts to their fans via Clippervision, which allows fans to watch the games in Korean, Spanish, or English.

Tell us about yourself

I am traditionally trained as a research scientist and evolved into a business leader. Before joining Kiswe, I was the head of the Alcatel-Lucent Mobile Division and Ventures Group. I have a Phd in Applied Mathematics, am a fellow of the IEEE, and am a member of the Belgian Royal Academy of Sciences. I co-founded Kiswe with Jeong Kim and Jimmy Lynn. I decided to launch Kiswe as I believe live streaming can help disrupt the media landscape. I love working with people and showing them how technology can improve their lives and experiences.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is turning a vision on a piece of paper into reality and delivering the largest events in the world in sports and music. Our relationship with international K-Pop sensation BTS is probably one of our biggest success stories. On two separate occasions, BTS broke streaming world records. First, in June 2020, BTS broke the record for “most viewers for a music concert live stream on a bespoke platform,” with 993,000 fans tuning in. Then in June 2021, they broke the record again with more than 1.3M fans tuning into the two-day live stream event. I am also proud to have worked and attended some of the biggest international events in sports and show how our fan engagement technology can bring remote fans back into a sporting event. It is really exciting to see the reach these artists and sports teams have and help them connect with those fans who may not be able to travel or afford to see them at an in-person concert or event. I also am so proud of the team that we have built at Kiswe and knowing everyone here is an integral part of Kiswe.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Dealing with changing investment and economic climate while keeping ahead of innovation. We live in an uncertain world, and the global social, economic, and political landscape can change rapidly and affect financial markets and economies. That is a challenge out of our control. Our mission is to focus on our customers, serve their needs, and work as one team inside the company. If we do this, I believe we will succeed even in a turbulent world.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Follow your passion.
Be careful who you put on your team.
Always focus on the customer.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.kiswe.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wimsweldens
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wimsweldens/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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