Jean-Baptiste Kempf
{{Short description|French computer engineer (born 1983)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jean-Baptiste Kempf
| image = Jean-Baptiste Kempf par Axelle Manfrini, Janvier 2021, Paris.jpg
| caption = Kempf in 2021
| website = https://jbkempf.com/
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|3|30}}
| birth_place = France
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| alma_mater = Paris-Sud University
| occupation = Technical director
| years_active = September 2020- April 30, 2021
| employer = Shadow (service)
| known_for = VideoLAN Project
| notable_works = VLC media player
}}
Jean-Baptiste Kempf (born March 30, 1983) is a French computer engineer and entrepreneur. He is a major contributor to the VideoLAN project and VLC software.
Career
Kempf joined École Centrale in 2003 and quickly became involved with VLC. In 2004, it surpassed one million downloads. By 2006, when the project had lost momentum, Kempf took a leadership role, restructuring the team and cleaning up the codebase.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-23 |title=Jean-Baptiste Kempf : VLC, la success-story d'un entrepreneur français |url=https://www.lepoint.fr/high-tech-internet/jean-baptiste-kempf-vlc-la-success-story-d-un-entrepreneur-francais-23-10-2017-2166586_47.php |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Le Point |language=fr}}
In 2008, Kempf founded the VideoLAN organization to separate VLC from the university. He worked in San Francisco briefly for the French consulate but returned to France disillusioned. Inspired by Silicon Valley, he adopted its methods to advance VLC, which reached over 100 million users globally by 2009. As of 2019, Kempf was President of VideoLAN.{{Cite news |date=2019-01-28 |title=L’irrésistible ascension du lecteur vidéo « VLC », une révolution française |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2019/01/28/l-irresistible-ascension-du-lecteur-video-vlc-une-revolution-francaise_5415762_4408996.html |access-date=2025-05-10 |work=Le Monde |language=fr}}
In 2012, Kempf founded Videolabs, a for-profit tech startup that develops services and tools around VLC and video in general. This structure allowed him to decline acquisition offers, some of which have reached several million euros.{{Cite web |last=Viniacourt |first=Elise |title=VLC, l’e-cône rebelle du lecteur multimédia, a fêté ses 20 ans |url=https://www.liberation.fr/economie/economie-numerique/vlc-le-cone-rebelle-du-lecteur-multimedia-a-fete-ses-20-ans-20210207_Q55VLWYSR5GRXPQNR56LQC43DA/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Libération |language=fr}} As of 2017, Videolabs sustained both Kempf and the VLC project financially.
Kempf has also led the development of other projects, including VLC 3, featuring support for 360° video, and Vizr, a video identification tool similar to Shazam, which detects films or series being played on a screen and provides additional information.
== Honors ==
In 2018, Kempf received the Chevalier de l'ordre national du Mérite for twelve years service to associations and IT development.[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000037615089/ Décret du 15 novembre 2018 portant promotion et nomination][https://www.numerama.com/politique/440537-vlc-la-france-remet-la-medaille-de-lordre-national-du-merite-au-fondateur-de-videolan.html VLC : la France remet la médaille de l’ordre national du Mérite au fondateur de VideoLAN]
References
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Category:Knights of the Ordre national du Mérite
Category:French computer programmers
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