Connected2Fiber reveals Series B funding of $12 million
Connected2Fiber, which provides The Connected World software-based connectivity platform that links network capacity buyers and sellers, says it has raised $12 million in Series B financing. Harbert Growth Partners led the round, alongside current investors Ascent Venture Partners, Nauta Capital, and Osage Venture Partners. The company plans to use the money to enhance its sales, marketing, and customer success operations as well as fund the development and deployment of new features for The Connected World.
Connected2Fiber notes that its platform serves the top 10 fiber infrastructure providers and MSOs as well as four of the top five local exchange carriers (LECs) and what the company called “network-oriented managed service providers” in the United States. The company enjoyed a 108% increase in platform users over the past year as well. To better serve these and potentially new customers, Connected2Fiber plans a series of enhancements for The Connected World platform. The upgrades include additional APIs, build out of the next phase of “location truth” within the platform, and the introduction of AI and analytic capabilities as well as real-time data connectors that will feed The Connected World’s application and analytic suite.
“Buying and selling network in today’s fragmented environment is complex and slow, leading to missed opportunities, challenging customer experiences and lower profits on all sides of the equation,” commented Ben Edmond, founder and CEO of Connected2Fiber. “Our platform continues to solve the most difficult challenges associated with network transactions by providing buyers and sellers with a location-specific, data-driven blueprint of their addressable market and then automating critical processes, resulting in smarter and faster decisions for both parties. Our success and growth within both the buyer and seller community has produced an ever-expanding platform ecosystem and, with this new investment, we’ll not only be able to scale our selling efforts but continue to innovate to provide additional analytical insight and global reach.”
“Connected2Fiber is positioned to capitalize on the need for digital transformation among service providers, which is significant given the dramatic spike in network demand and innovation within the connectivity industry,” added Tom Roberts, general partner at Harbert Growth Partners. “As key network trends evolve, much like we’re seeing with cloud, 5G and SD-WAN, the ability to transact in real-time, combined with actionable intelligence as it relates to network supply and demand, is essential to positively transforming buying and selling.”
Connected2Fiber’s had previously raised $15 million in various equity rounds (see "Connected2Fiber pulls in $8 million in Series A round," "Connected2Fiber closes $5.3 million funding round," and "Connected2Fiber garners funding from Silicon Valley Bank").
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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