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Nefeli Networks has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Nefeli Networks.
Nefeli Networks has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Nefeli Networks provides a cloud networking platform for managing and operating large-scale, distributed networks. Its technology virtualizes network functions, addressing complexities inherent in multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments. This platform simplifies network infrastructure, offering enhanced control and agility across varied operational landscapes.
Nefeli Networks was founded in 2016 by Kevin Fall, Scott Shenker, and Sylvia Ratnasamy. UC Berkeley professors Scott Shenker, a software-defined networking expert, and Sylvia Ratnasamy, known for distributed hash tables, identified a critical market need. Their combined insight targeted efficient management of fragmented and complex network architectures.
The company's platform serves organizations with expansive, geographically dispersed network infrastructures, particularly those using multi-cloud strategies. Nefeli Networks envisions seamless management of intricate environments, delivering secure, scalable connectivity. The company ultimately simplifies distributed networking, empowering enterprises to adapt to evolving digital requirements.
Key people at Nefeli Networks.
Nefeli Networks has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Nefeli Networks's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Dell Technologies Capital, Primitive Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Unusual Ventures.
Nefeli Networks has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $9.0M Series U in December 2016.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2016 | $9M Series U | — | Andreessen Horowitz, Dell Technologies Capital, Primitive Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Unusual Ventures | Announced |
Nefeli Networks was a software company that built a platform for managing and operating large-scale networks across multiple clouds using policy-based definitions, enabling fast service creation, autoscaling, self-healing, and pervasive visibility.[1][2][3] It served enterprises and businesses dealing with distributed multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments, solving the challenges of networking complexity, lack of control, visibility, and resiliency when mixing cloud providers.[1][2][4] Founded in 2016 or 2017 in California, the company raised approximately $9.2M–$9.86M from investors including DHVC, The House Fund, and New Enterprise Associates before being acquired by Cloudflare in March 2024, after which its technology powered Cloudflare's Magic Cloud Networking service.[1][2]
This acquisition marked the end of Nefeli as an independent entity, integrating its innovations into Cloudflare's broader connectivity cloud, which combines networking with Zero Trust security and edge services for enhanced multi-cloud management.[1][2]
Nefeli Networks emerged from research at UC Berkeley focused on software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV), technologies that decouple network control from hardware to enable programmable, flexible infrastructures.[3] Founded in 2016 (per some sources) or 2017 (per others) and based in Berkeley, California, the company was led by CEO Eugenia Corrales, who emphasized overcoming cloud boundaries for seamless operations.[2][3]
The idea stemmed from addressing real-world pain points in multi-cloud adoption, where businesses struggled with vendor lock-in and operational silos. Early traction came from its policy-driven approach to network management, attracting venture funding and culminating in its acquisition by Cloudflare in March 2024—a pivotal moment that validated its technology amid rising multi-cloud demands.[1][2]
Nefeli stood out in the crowded networking space through these key strengths:
Nefeli rode the multi-cloud and hybrid cloud trend, where enterprises avoid vendor lock-in by mixing AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud for optimal features, cost, and performance—a market projected to grow as cloud spending surges.[2] Its timing was ideal amid post-2020 cloud migrations accelerated by remote work and digital transformation, when networking silos became a major bottleneck.[1][2]
Market forces like rising data sovereignty needs, edge computing, and Zero Trust security favored Nefeli's approach, influencing the ecosystem by paving the way for unified platforms like Cloudflare's, which now help standardize multi-cloud ops and reduce management costs.[1][2] Acquired by Cloudflare, it amplified a shift toward connectivity clouds that secure and connect private/public systems globally.
With its acquisition, Nefeli's legacy lives on within Cloudflare's Magic Cloud Networking (launched in closed beta post-deal), poised to expand as multi-cloud adoption deepens and AI-driven workloads demand even more agile, secure networking.[1][2] Trends like sovereign clouds, 5G-edge integration, and regulatory pressures on data flows will shape its embedded tech, potentially evolving Cloudflare's dominance in Zero Trust networking.
Nefeli's story—from Berkeley research to powering enterprise cloud freedom—exemplifies how targeted innovations accelerate the shift to boundaryless clouds, unlocking their full potential for businesses worldwide.[2][3]
