TV Everywhere: Synacor

Where it's based: Buffalo, N.Y.
When it was founded: 2001
Website: http://www.synacor.com/

Why it's Fierce: As cable moves its content out of the family room and into online distribution, it needs a way to integrate streaming services from the Web onto its more traditional TV platforms while maintaining the same cable programming that subscribers expect from their television and now from PCs and other unconnected devices. The concept of TV Everywhere is just that: make it possible for cable subscribers to watch the content they've paid for literally everywhere.

Synacor steps into the picture with a platform it claims is now delivering services to 30 million broadband Internet subscribers nationwide by enabling a single infrastructure for media devices across multiple video platforms.

Most recently, Synacor worked with 14 U.S. cable operators to help subscribers watch the 2010 Winter Olympics online by authenticating video subs who were entitled to access exclusive live and long-form content. Additionally, the vendor worked with Charter Communications on a new online destination offering a fully integrated TV Everywhere solution to view content from TNT, TBS, Style, G4, E! and the new EPIX premium service.