17LIVE Inc., operator of livestreaming platform 17LIVE (pronounced one seven live, to signify “seven continents under one sky”), is expanding to Singapore and launching operations in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. It is currently the top livestreaming app in Japan.
“When we first launched our service, we gained popularity as a platform where people could livestream music performances worldwide. However, the world of livestreaming continues to evolve,” said Hirofumi Ono, global chief executive officer of 17LIVE, at a press launch Friday, the same day the app became downloadable in the Philippines.
Each country in Southeast Asia will have curated content for their respective markets, with the goal of beating existing competition such as the Filipino-made Kumu app.
Launched in 2015 in Taiwan and again in 2017 in Japan, 17LIVE hit 50 million subscribers worldwide this September. The platform hopes to increase this number by tapping the digitally active Southeast Asian market.
In an e-mail response, 17Live said that that the content preferences of the Philippines are similar to that of the United States: “Both countries share similar values and cultures. As 17LIVE is already established in the US with US-curated content on the platform, we wanted to leverage this content and our expertise in the Philippines.”
The livestreaming platform targets the 18- to 40-year-old age group, focusing on genres such as music, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, art, and DIY (do it yourself). Six subsidiaries around the world are focused on producing content, mostly in Chinese and in English. — B. H. Lacsamana