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§ Private Profile · San Francisco, CA, USA
Movaz Networks is a technology company.
Movaz Networks develops advanced optical networking solutions, providing broadband optical transport systems and Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) equipment. Its technology employs photonic switching to efficiently manage and route optical signals, supporting demanding Metro Edge, Metro Access, and Metro Core networks for telecommunications providers. The company focuses on delivering high-capacity data transmission capabilities crucial for modern network infrastructures.
Bijan Khosravi founded Movaz Networks in June 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia. An experienced entrepreneur with a track record including co-founding Siara Systems, Khosravi identified a critical market need for more efficient optical transport. His insight propelled the creation of an all-optical network architecture, capable of handling escalating data, storage, voice, and video traffic with superior performance.
Movaz Networks' optical solutions serve telecommunications carriers and service providers, upgrading foundational network layers. The company's mission centered on delivering systems engineered to transport diverse digital signals at native speeds and minimal latency. This vision aimed to equip network operators with infrastructure optimized for sustained growth and evolving demands in an increasingly connected world.
Movaz Networks has raised $142.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Movaz Networks has raised $142.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Movaz Networks has raised $142.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $20.0M Series U in January 2006.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2006 | $20M Series U | — | Comcast Ventures, Spark Capital, UP.Partners | Announced |
| May 1, 2002 | $60M Series C | — | UP.Partners | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2001 | $62M Series B | — | Comcast Ventures, Spark Capital, UP.Partners | Announced |
Movaz Networks has raised $142.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Movaz Networks's investors include Comcast Ventures, Spark Capital, UP.Partners.
Movaz Networks was a telecommunications technology company specializing in all-optical solutions for wavelength services, including wavelength selective switching (WSS) technology for optical transport networks.[2][4] It served nearly 100 customers, such as telecommunications carriers, cable operators, research and educational organizations, and government agencies, addressing the need for efficient broadband communications infrastructure during the early 2000s.[1][4] The company reportedly generated $662.1 million in revenue with around 879 employees before its acquisition, though limited public data exists on its growth trajectory post-dot-com era.[3]
Founded as a startup around 2001 amid the dot-com boom, Movaz Networks emerged when it licensed a key UC Davis patent for wavelength selective switching (WSS), co-invented by professor Jonathan Heritage and others, after discovering the university held rights to a similar technique the company had patented.[4] CEO Bijan Khosravi led the effort, with early work including a prototype that fit into a single rack slot but required extensive electronics to operate micro-mirrors for optical switching.[4] Initial traction came from broadband enthusiasm, yielding small royalties by 2004, but the dot-com bust slowed momentum; Movaz was acquired by ADVA Optical Networking in 2006.[1][4]
Movaz rode the early 2000s broadband expansion trend, capitalizing on demand for optical networking amid fiber-optic buildouts, though the dot-com crash tempered immediate scaling.[4] Its timing aligned with photonic advancements for high-capacity data transmission, influencing telecom by commercializing university inventions like WSS, which powered subsequent products from ADVA and others.[1][4] Market forces favoring scalable, all-optical systems over electronic switching worked in its favor, contributing to the ecosystem by sublicensing tech that advanced broadband communications resilience.[4]
Post-2006 acquisition by ADVA, Movaz Networks ceased independent operations, with its technologies integrated into larger optical portfolios and WSS sublicensed onward.[1][4] Future influence lies in legacy contributions to modern telecom, as WSS evolves in high-speed networks shaped by 5G/6G and AI-driven data centers; its story underscores how startup innovations persist through acquisitions, fueling ongoing broadband infrastructure. This early pioneer exemplifies tech's cycle of invention, bust, and enduring impact.