Zattoo Celebrates 20 Years

Zurich/Berlin, June 16, 2025 – When Zattoo streamed live TV over the internet to the PC for the first time during the 2006 Football World Cup, there were no smart TVs, Netflix was still sending DVDs by post, and the industry was far from the idea of streaming as we know it today. 20 years later, this pioneering achievement has grown into one of Europe’s leading TV platforms, with millions of active users, an international B2B business, technological leadership, and a clear goal: to make television easier, smarter, and more sustainable.

20 years of Zattoo – a European success story

What began in 2005 as a bold idea by Bea Knecht and Sugih Jamin was far ahead of its time: live TV that is legal, free, and accessible to all. Even before YouTube or Sky, Zattoo was streaming major sporting events online. Within a year, more than a million people were using the service – all without an advertising budget.

Since then, Zattoo has repeatedly helped shape television. Zattoo was a technological pioneer in mobile TV apps, smart TV applications, replay TV, and the combination of linear television with on-demand content. Zattoo was also a pioneer in advertising: as the first TV platform, Zattoo enabled dynamic replacement of advertising blocks in the live stream. In addition to its successful direct-to-consumer business, the company also sets standards in the B2B segment: since 2012, Zattoo has been operating white-label platforms for major international telecommunications providers, including 1&1 in Germany, Salt in Switzerland, and Waoo in Denmark.

Technology leader with values

Zattoo now operates its TV platform for over 30 providers in ten countries. The platform offers the widest technical reach of all comparable providers – from smart TVs and streaming devices like Fire TV and Apple TV to mobile devices and the web. Since 2020, Zattoo has been climate-neutral and was awarded the prestigious Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award in the same year.

But Zattoo is more than technology: more than 250 employees from over 40 nations are jointly shaping the future of TV and video streaming, driven by a strong and unique culture.

Looking ahead: the next chapter has begun

Zattoo is meeting the transformation of the TV industry with innovation and strategic clarity. In a world where moving images are the most important source of information and entertainment, Zattoo is committed to the following mission: “We make streaming easy.” Strategically, Zattoo will focus on four business areas in the future: a direct-to-consumer offering for streaming fans in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, an end-to-end TV platform for ISPs, modular best-of-breed offerings for ISPs, broadcasters, and OTT providers, as well as advertising solutions for the CTV market.

Anniversary with gratitude and community focus

Zattoo is celebrating its 20th anniversary not only internally but together with its community, partners, customers, and users. As a thank-you, all paying subscribers in Germany and Switzerland will receive a free one-month offer for Zattoo Plus Entertainment in June. Starting June 16, 20 annual subscriptions to Zattoo Ultimate will also be raffled off on social media in the DACH region. An anniversary film with stories and voices from 20 years, a central website with many highlights, as well as personal congratulations from long-standing companions round off the anniversary.

Roger Elsener, CEO of Zattoo: “20 years ago, we took the first step to bring television to the internet – against much resistance, but with a clear vision. Today, millions of people stream via our platform. That fills us with great pride. We are celebrating this anniversary with gratitude and with the drive to continue shaping TV and video streaming sustainably in the future.”

Find out more about Zattoo’s history, vision and future.
For Germany:https://zattoo.com/de/en/20-years
For Switzerland: https://zattoo.com/ch/en/20-years
For Austria: https://zattoo.com/at/en/20-years

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