| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2016 |
| Country | USA |
| Sector | Media |
| Total raised | ~$100M USD |
| Collapse type | Fire Sale |
| Founder | Jason Kilar |
Vessel
"Ex-Hulu CEO raised $100M to build premium YouTube. Charged $3/month for early access to YouTube videos. YouTube made the creators say no. Sold for pennies."
Distressed acquisition below last-round valuation
Key Events Timeline
Vessel was founded in 2014 by Jason Kilar (founding CEO of Hulu) and Richard Tom in Seattle with a clear hypothesis: YouTube's top creators were subsidizing free viewers with their content, and would prefer a model where engaged fans paid for early access.
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