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One of Portland's smaller startups is growing. Digital music video platform Vadio (yes, pronounced like "radio"), has added Brent Hieggelke, former chief marketing officer and chief evangelist of Urban Airship, as its senior VP of marketing.
Hieggelke joined Vadio's small staff of around 20 people, which includes digital media heavyweights Yair Landau and Rio Caraeff. Landau, Vadio's chairman and chief operating officer, previously was president of Sony Pictures Digital. Caraeff, an advisor to the video startup, founded music video site Vevo.
Hieggelke decided to stick around Urban Airship for a year after the local mobile tech firm's new CEO Brett Caine came on board in October 2014 following the exit of previous CEO Scott Kveton amid sexual assault allegations. In that interim period, Hieggelke shifted from his CMO role to become the company's chief evangelist, a hybrid marketing and PR type gig. He left Urban Airship after four years on December 15 and doesn't expect anyone to replace him in the chief evangelist position — one that was designed for him.
"I didn't leave there to go here," said Hieggelke regarding Vadio. Indeed, he said the company approached him. "I got pretty fired up about what they're doing," he said, inspired by the fact that streaming powerhouses like Spotify are also moving towards video.
Vadio works with media companies, providing a platform for curated video streams that allow them to add in advertising content or other videos such as interviews with musicians. The firm counts CBS Local-owned Radio.com as a client, and provides the backend technology that runs its urban, country and pop video channels.
"I really enjoy finding these early players in a big category," said Hieggelke.
Vadio raised $7.5 million in its Series A funding round in May. The company is located downtown at 919 SW Taylor Street between 9th and 10th avenues.
Willamette Week