Kanojia, a native of India, came to the United States to pursue his post graduate degree. In 1999, he founded Navic Networks, a company that led the pack in the field of advanced television advertising. He later sold his company to Microsoft and took a break before conceptualizing and starting up a new company. Kanojia holds 14 patents for technology in various fields including data communications systems and robotics. He put some of his proprietary technology to use with Aereo, which DVR technology and cloud-based antennas to stream live or pre-recorded television shows on their subscriber’s computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
Despite the company’s success, Aereo has encountered a few speed bumps along the way. At least 17 broadcast companies have banded together to sue Kanojia and his company for copyright infringement. In their lawsuit, they claim that the antennas Aereo rents out to its subscribers will cause them “substantial irremediable losses” and that the company is infringing on their intellectual property rights. Fortunately for Kanojia, the New York District Court that tried the case decided in favor of Aereo. The case is now being appealed, but the future is looking bright for the man who wants to bring television closer to the masses.