Now is a really good time to be a web startup. Networking startups have made a name for themselves by starting at the edge, leveraging new types of connectivity, and taking the lead with a hybrid cloud approach, not to mention they're all embracing emerging enterprise IT acquisitions like subscription services.

Web start-ups are emerging to compete with the giants, but even so, there is room for established players to partner with these start-ups. Networking and SD-WANG vendors like HP's Aruba and Versa Networks have chosen to partner with many networking startups for their innovations in private 5G, managed network products and next-generation connectivity. At the same time, several startups are filling market gaps in consumer or managed networking products, edge networking, next-generation data center networking, and secure access service edge (SASE). Incumbents and startups alike, recognizing the power of the channel, are using MSPs and resellers to help spread the word about their new approach to network demands.

Let's take a look at the 10 hottest networking startups of 2022, covering everything from hybrid cloud-based products and network-as-a-service, all the way to cellular connectivity and 5G networks.

• Alkira
• Aviatrix
• Celona
• Graphiant
• Ngena
• Nile
• Perimeter 81
• Prosimo
• Rockport Networks
• Trustgrid

Alkira

CEO: Amir Khan

Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA

Alkira, a multi-cloud network startup, came out of stealth mode in 2020 and launched a cloud services exchange (CSX) unified on-demand product that is paid based on consumption, allowing cloud architects and network engineers to build and deploy multi-cloud networks in minutes. After that, Alkira announced a partnership with the Microsoft for Startups program and a deeper relationship with AWS, whose Marketplace includes Alkira CSX products.

Alkira launched its next-generation network product, Cloud Area Networking, in June this year, saying that the product is a full-stack, edge-to-cloud enterprise-level network with built-in routing and network services. Alkira will be primarily marketed through channel partners, and in 2021, Alkira has signed a partnership with its first master agent, Telarus.

Aviatrix

CEO: Steve Mullaney

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California

Hybrid cloud networking startup Aviatrix Systems provides complex multi-cloud network visibility for enterprises that need a cloud-native networking product that enables a new approach to application access through what it calls Intelligent Cloud Networking.

Aviatrix enters the market through partners, especially those looking for solution providers that are agnostic to the local environment. Since its establishment in 2018, Aviatrix's revenue has doubled every year. In August this year, Aviatrix said it plans to go public within the next 18 months and achieve annual revenue of more than $3 billion within five years.

Celona

CEO: Rajeev Shah

Headquarters: Cupertino, California, USA

Founded in 2019, enterprise-grade 5G startup Celona introduced their platform to the market in 2020, which makes LTE and 5G a reliable and viable enterprise connectivity option. In addition, Celona also disclosed a strategic partnership with Aruba to resell Celona's cellular products.

Celona's founding team hails from companies like Qualcomm and Cisco, with experience building chipsets, cloud software, Wi-Fi and cellular products. Celona announced in June this year that it has launched a channel program called Fanatics for resellers, MSPs and system integrators. Prior to this, Celona just received $60 million in Series C financing that closed in March.

Graphiant

Founder, CEO: Khalid Raza

Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA

Edge networking startup Graphiant came out of stealth mode this September, targeting market incumbents like Cisco and other SD-WAN competitors.

Graphiant is dedicated to delivering MPLS-grade connectivity across the enterprise WAN, hybrid cloud, network edge, and between customers and partners. Graphiant provides products to customers in the form of services through Graphiant Network Edge. This fall, Graphiant said it was working on solving a major networking problem that incumbent SD-WAN vendors had overlooked -- increasingly distributed workloads and network complexity, which in turn created more complexity and security concerns for enterprises. .

Graphiant plans to do all of its business through the channel. Graphiant has raised $33.5 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital, Two Bear Capital, and Atlantic Bridge.

Ngena

CEO: Bart de Graaff

Headquarters: Frankfurt, Germany

Ngena is an SD-WAN-as-a-service company dedicated to transforming networking in the cloud era. It is said that Ngena announced a partnership with SD-WAN giant Versa Networks in October this year, adding Versa to Ngena's platform, allowing customers to choose from leading SD-WAN vendors and design according to their individual needs their network.

Founded in 2016, Ngena has raised a total of US$285.7 million. The latest round of financing is the C round of financing led by Friends and Founders Round in 2021.

Nile

CEO: Pankaj Patel

Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA

Another star that popped up this year is web-as-a-service startup Nile, which came out of stealth mode in September.

Nile was founded by former Cisco executive chairman and CEO John Chambers and co-founder Pankaj Patel, former Cisco executive vice president and chief development officer. The startup enters the market with what it calls a "reimagined" wired and wireless service offered entirely as a service. According to Nile, their products will provide channel partners and their mid-market and enterprise customers with the simplicity, security and performance of the network while reducing the total cost of ownership.

Nile launched its partnership program, Nile Connect, and has raised approximately $125 million in cumulative funding through Chambers' investment firm, JC2 Ventures, along with March Capital, 8VC and Iconiq Capital.

Perimeter 81

CEO: Amit Bareket

Headquarters: Tel Aviv, Israel

Fast-growing SASE specialist Perimeter 81 originally focused on cloud networking and security, but entered the SASE space in 2021. Perimeter 81 has been established for four years, and its products can replace traditional and open source VPN products.

Perimeter 81 also has offices in New York City and Los Angeles, and launched a channel partner program for MSPs in 2021. In June, Perimeter 81 raised $100 million in a Series C round led by B Capital at a $1 billion valuation, reportedly giving Perimeter 81 about 5% more capital than its last funding round in 2020. times. Perimeter 81 said the company has "doubled" its annual recurring revenue.

Prosimo

CEO: Ramesh Prabagaran

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California

Founded in 2019, multi-cloud networking startup Prosimo came out of stealth mode with its Application eXperience Infrastructure (AXI) platform, which modernizes and simplifies application delivery and experience across multi-cloud environments. Prosimo's platform is said to be able to co-exist with existing vendors in customer environments, or it can be used to replace certain tools and capabilities, such as zero trust or cloud peering.

Prosimo launched its official partner program in January this year, and at the same time hired Timoteo Prietto, the former channel head of one of its biggest competitors, Aviatrix, to run the company's channel work.

Rockport Networks

CEO: Phil Harris

Headquarters: Ottawa, Canada

Data center networking startup Rockport Networks comes out of stealth mode in 2021 with a "switchless" network architecture that delivers the performance customers need for demanding computing workloads such as high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning and scalability. According to Rockport Networks, compared with traditional networks, this switchless product reduces the workload completion time by an average of 28%, and reduces end-to-end latency by 3 times.

Rockport Networks has raised a total of $66.8 million over five rounds, with the latest round led by Northern Private Capital in 2021. In June, the company named data center industry executive Harris as its new chief executive.

Trustgrid

Co-Founder, CEO: Joe Gleinser

Headquarters: Austin, Texas, USA

TrustGrid enters the market with a platform that combines SD-WAN, edge computing and zero-trust remote access, enabling operators and cloud software providers to manage and support distributed application environments from the cloud to the edge. Trustgrid said the platform allows users to manage and support hundreds of networks from a single interface.

Founded in 2017, the privately held company entered the market through channel partners. In September of this year, Trustgrid announced a partnership with Level 3 Audiovisual to combine TrustGrid's technology with Level 3's software to provide and support advanced AV software for US corporate, higher education, healthcare, government and hospitality customers.