Beyond the TV Episode 1 (March 2020): An Interview With Michelle Munson

Michelle Munson is the co-founder and CEO of Eluvio, the content blockchain for the creator economy, based in Berkeley, CA. Eluvio (https://live.eluv.io) is an eco-friendly blockchain platform that enables content creators and their communities to store, stream, ticket, mint NFTs, and trade digital content. It provides a simple-to-use, high-performance, and cost-effective platform to monetize concerts, films, digital albums, e-books, digital collectables, metaverse experiences, and more.  Companies and creators whose content blockchain initiatives have been powered by Eluvio include FOX Entertainment, MGM Studios, SONY Pictures, Universal Music Group, Warner Bros., Globo, Black Eyed Peas, Dolly Parton, Rita Ora, and many others.

Michelle is an Emmy-award winning technologist who previously co-founded Aspera in 2004 and led the company as CEO until May 2017, including through acquisition by IBM in 2014. She co-invented the Aspera FASP™ transport technology used in the digital media supply chain for high-speed, low-cost secure digital content transport, replacing satellite and traditional tape-based delivery technologies. Michelle is a recipient of the David Sarnoff Medal from the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE); the Charles Swartz Award from the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA); IABM’s Woman Entrepreneur of the Year; and named one of the top 25 “People to Watch by TV Technology. She currently serves as an SMPTE Fellow and on the board of Avid Corporation. Michelle is an inventor on fourteen U.S. patents and is a frequent speaker in the areas of content networking, machine learning, blockchain and cloud infrastructure.

Michelle was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame at Kansas State University in 2022. She was also the 2019 Kansas State University Commencement Speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences and the 2006 Alumnus of the Year for the College of Engineering. She holds dual B.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Kansas State University, where she was a Goldwater Scholar for achievement in Science and Mathematics. She was also a Fulbright Scholar at Cambridge University where she received a postgraduate diploma in Computer Science.

Jason Thibeault is the Executive Director of the Streaming Video Alliance, a global association of companies collaborating to solve critical challenges in delivering a better streaming video experience and increasing adoption. Prior to this role, Jason spent eight years at Limelight Networks, a leading CDN, where he held several roles including product manager and marketing strategist. Jason is an inventor on multiple technical patents in the streaming industry and a proven entrepreneur. He is also a contributing editor to Streaming Media Magazine.