Virtual Computer is a technology company.
Virtual Computer has raised $15.0M across 1 funding round.
Virtual Computer has raised $15.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Virtual Computer was a Boston-based software company specializing in desktop virtualization products. It developed NxTop Enterprise, a client hypervisor that enabled centralized management of desktops with local execution on PCs, eliminating the need for server-hosted VDI infrastructure, servers, storage, and networking.[1] The product targeted enterprises seeking IT control over endpoints, supporting local desktops, remote VDI sessions, and cloud-based applications, with core technologies including a managed Xen-based hypervisor, application layering, and centralized management via NxTop Center.[1]
Founded in 2007 and venture-backed by Highland Capital Partners and Flybridge Capital Partners with $20 million in funding, Virtual Computer demonstrated early growth in the virtualization market but was acquired by Citrix in May 2012, marking the end of its independent operations.[1]
Virtual Computer was founded in November 2007 by Alex Vasilevsky and Dan McCall in the Boston area.[1] Vasilevsky, the primary founder, brought expertise in software innovation to address gaps in traditional virtualization, focusing on a client-side hypervisor that ran directly on PCs for better performance and management.[1] The company quickly attracted significant venture capital from Highland Capital Partners and Flybridge Capital Partners, securing $20 million to develop and scale its technology.[1] A pivotal moment came with the release of NxTop 4 Enterprise in August 2011, showcasing advanced capabilities, but the firm was ultimately acquired by Citrix in May 2012 to bolster Citrix's virtualization portfolio.[1]
Virtual Computer stood out in the desktop virtualization space through these key strengths:
Virtual Computer rode the early 2000s wave of desktop virtualization, a trend driven by needs for cost-effective IT management, security, and remote access amid rising PC proliferation and cloud emergence. Its timing was ideal post-VMware's dominance in server virtualization, filling a gap for lightweight, PC-centric solutions that avoided server bottlenecks—key as enterprises sought to virtualize endpoints without massive data center investments.[1] Market forces like hardware commoditization and demand for hypervisor-based management favored its approach, influencing the ecosystem by pioneering client hypervisors; its 2012 Citrix acquisition accelerated integration of local-client tech into mainstream VDI, paving the way for hybrid cloud-desktop models still relevant today.[1]
As an acquired entity, Virtual Computer's independent story ended in 2012, but its NxTop technology likely lives on within Citrix's portfolio, contributing to evolved virtualization tools amid rising hybrid work and edge computing trends. Future influence may manifest in Citrix's (now Cloud Software Group) advancements in secure endpoint management, shaped by AI-driven automation and zero-trust security. This early innovator exemplified how targeted virtualization bets can reshape enterprise IT, tying back to its core mission of server-free, centrally managed desktops that anticipated today's distributed computing realities.[1]
Virtual Computer has raised $15.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Virtual Computer has raised $15.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series B in January 2009.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2009 | $15.0M Series B |