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Sevenload

Logo: sevenload GmbH, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

German-based video-sharing website

Sevenload was a German-based video-sharing website on which users can upload, share and view videos. Since its founding in April 2006, the platform emerged on international markets to become a Social Media Network for photos, videos and web TV content. sevenload shows licensed content channels and allows users to upload their video and photo contents onto the site and then tag them, put them in albums and share them with other users, and is considered by some to be a counterpart to hulu in the US.2 It was founded by Ibrahim Evsan and Thomas Bachem.1 It is headquartered in Cologne.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Apr 2006Founded1

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Sevenload was a German-based video-sharing website on which users can upload, share and view videos. Since its founding in April 2006, the platform emerged on international markets to become a Social Media Network for photos, videos and web TV content. sevenload shows licensed content channels and allows users to upload their video and photo contents onto the site and then tag them, put them in albums and share them with other users, and is considered by some to be a counterpart to hulu in the US. Premium content and user generated videos at sevenload.com create an entertainment portal of editorial and professional web TV shows online. Selected content of sevenload's entire program airs on next generation TVs, set-top-box technology and games consoles with partners such as Sony, Philips Net TV, T-Home Entertain, Medion and Nintendo Wii. sevenload is currently available in twelve languages and offers localized country portals in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Turkey, UK, USA, Netherlands, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, India, China, Colombia and Mexico.2

The story

Founded by Ibrahim Evsan and Thomas Bachem on Apr 2006.1

The company was founded in April 2006 by Ibrahim Evsan, Thomas Bachem, Axel Schmiegelow's Venture firm dw capital gmbh, and K2 Interactive GmbH of Akgün and Tamer Kulmac. The Video Player technology the company was founded with had been developed since Fall 2005 by Ibrahim Evsan and Thomas Bachem. dw capital invested the first seed funds of 250.000,- € at foundation of the company. K2 ceased having any active role in the company in August 2006. Axel Schmiegelow developed the Licensing and Business Model as a co-founder and became CEO in August / September 2006. Andreas Heyden, in-house founder of sevenload competitor Clipfish at RTL Group, joined the company as COO in 2007.

Company executives at the time were Axel Schmiegelow (CEO) and Andreas Heyden (COO). Company investors are T-Online Venture Fund, DLD Ventures (Burda), Media Ventures, Martin Varsavsky and dw capital GmbH. The Co-founders Ibrahim Evsan (former CTO) and Thomas Bachem (former Director Technology) left the company in September 2009 to start a new venture.

On December 15, 2010, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that DLD Ventures, as part of Burda Digital, had taken over the shareholding of T-Venture Funds, effective December 17, 2010 and thereby gained a majority stake in the company. As a result of this transaction, the company's management structure and supervisory board changed: Andreas Heyden assumed the position of CEO in the company's management team from Axel Schmiegelow, who took on a new role in sevenload's supervisory board. In addition, Dr. Jörg Lübcke, managing director of Burda Digital, joined the supervisory board along with Dr. Marcel Reichart and Axel Schmiegelow.

According to the reports, the former investors Media Ventures and Martin Varsavsky made their exit and only DLD Ventures as well as dw capital are the remaining company investors. In summary, the exact share holder structure of sevenload and involvement of other investors remains unclear.

On July 6, 2011, Manfred Ruf became CEO of Sevenload

In spring 2014 Burda Digital tried to sell Sevenload, but didn't succeed; subsequently, on April 4, 2014, the site went offline.

From Wikipedia’s article on Sevenload, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

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Timeline

  1. Apr 2006Founded Founded1

Sources

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