Microsoft has acquired VideoSurf, a video discovery company. VideoSurf, founded by four Israelis in Silicon Valley, has developed a technology that locates video clips on the Internet. VideoSurf serves up more relevant results for your queries and offers a new, visual way for you to interact with the video set returned. You can refine your results based on the people who actually appear in the videos and pinpoint the specific moments you’re interested in watching or sharing with your friends.
VideoSurf raised $28 million from former US President Al Gore, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Verizon Investment Fund, Pitango Venture Capital, Orbotech Ltd. founder Hanan Gilutz, and SurveyMonkey CEO David Goldberg.
VideoSurf’s mobile app enables users to do a visual search of TV series. The software analyses the picture on the screen and knows how to identify it and to process various data like scenes and details about actors.
Microsoft is yet to make a formal announcement about the acquisition.