Leadership Team
Note: This is an AI-generated memo produced using our in-house tool (in Beta) and provides key qualitative information on the startup
Amar Kapadia, CEO and Co-Founder
Amar Kapadia, Co-founder & CEO of Aarna Networks, has an extensive background in managing and leading cutting-edge technology projects spanning over two decades. Some of his noteworthy assignments include serving as the Co-Founder & Head of Product Management at Aarohi Communications, Inc. and Sr. Director Product Management at both Emulex Corporation and Mirantis, Inc. A specialist in cloud storage infrastructure, Amar is also considered an industry leader in 5G technology. He is an alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.
Sriram Rupanagunta, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President
Serving as co-founder and Senior Vice President at Aarna Networks, Sriram Rupanagunta exhibits an extensive background in technological innovation and leadership, with past roles including Site Head at Western Digital's Indian branch and Vice President at Emulex Corporation. Sriram is credited with building the Aarna Networks Multi Cluster Orchestration Platform (AMCOP) – a product geared towards the management and orchestration of cloud native 5G network services and edge computing applications. Sriram completed his M.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and his B.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
Vivekanandan Muthukrishnan, Field CTO
Field CTO of Aarna Networks Vivekanandan Muthukrishnan brings to the table considerable experience with open-source tools and extensive databases, with detailed knowledge of public cloud platforms including GCP, AWS, and Azure. Previous roles include co-founding HPC Architect at DNASKEW, managing OpenStack deployments as the CTO at OpexLabs, and working with various VMware vCenter and OpenStack Ironic plugins at Broadcom/Emulex. Vivekanandan is an engineering graduate from the University of Madras.
Subramanian Sankaranarayanan, AVP and Global Head of Business Development & Alliances
As the AVP and Global Head of Business Development & Alliances at Aarna Networks, Subramanian Sankaranarayanan has a solid footing in business development and sales, having held key positions within Prodapt and Capgemini Engineering. Subramanian's combination of technical acumen and business insight makes him a valuable asset for managing partnerships and growing the company’s reach in the 5G and edge computing arena. Subramanian holds a Post Graduate Programme in Management from Great Lakes Institute of Management, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree both from University of Madras and SSN College of Engineering.
Brandon Wick, Senior Director of Marketing
The Senior Director of Marketing at Aarna Networks, Brandon Wick, is a strategic thinker with extensive experience in marketing strategy and execution, specializing in open source software projects. Prior to his current role, Brandon was the Sr Integrated Marketing Manager at The Linux Foundation, where he focused on 5G digital transformation projects. His educational qualifications include a Master's degree from UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy.
Sandeep Sharma, Chief Architect
Sandeep Sharma, Chief Architect at Aarna Networks, has demonstrated skills in Nephio, Kubernetes, Linux Kernel and Device Drivers. Prior to his current role, he served as a Software Technologist at Western Digital, and held engineering roles at Virident Systems and Alcatel-Lucent. Sandeep is an alumnus of Vidya Vardhaka College of Engineering, Mysore.
Team Camaraderie
Looking at past joint experience, Amar Kapadia and Sriram Rupanagunta intersect at Aarohi Communications where they were co-founders and colleagues for 10+ years. Aarohi was acquired by Emulex Corporation in 2006, where their combined experiences helped propel Emulex into the #1 10GbE Ethernet NIC position. In addition, most of the senior engineer team has worked with Sriram in the past leading to alignment and shared values.
Intellectual Property
Aarna Networks holds several patents that are crucial to the company's success and highlight its commitment to intellectual property.
One such patent involves a device and method for processing Ethernet communications, specifically for efficiently handling FCOE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) communications. This patent describes a device that combines an aggregator, a filter, and a gateway into a single practical and efficient unit, as opposed to separate devices. This invention not only improves the processing of Ethernet communications but also offers cost-saving benefits for enterprises and network operators. By streamlining the system, Aarna Networks can provide a more effective and affordable solution for managing edge orchestration and 5G service.
Another patent held by Aarna Networks addresses the splitting of storage applications and functions into control and data path components. The control path is responsible for tasks such as discovery and configuration, while the data path primarily handles reads and writes. This patent also introduces storage virtualization, enabling the mapping of virtual I/O to physical I/O. By orchestrating complex data management operations and efficiently allocating resources, this patent aligns with Aarna Networks' goal of improving operational costs and time to market. It provides a comprehensive solution for enterprises and network operators seeking efficient storage management and data orchestration.
Additionally, Aarna Networks is slated to file an additional six patent applications.
Competitors
HashiCorp
Aarna Networks and HashiCorp are competitors in adjacent markets. While Aarna Networks focuses on orchestration and management of edge computing, Hashicorp focuses on the cloud. Aarna Networks excels in zero-touch edge orchestration at scale and private 5G support, setting it apart from competitors like HashiCorp. This specialization enables enterprises and network operators to unlock new services, reduce operational costs, and improve time to market. Aarna Networks' unique focus positions it as a leader in the industry with a roughly 2+ year lead over competitors.
Crossplane
Aarna Networks and Crossplane compete in adjacent markets as well. Both approaches provide orchestration and management solutions using Kubernetes. While Aarna Networks focuses on edge computing, Crossplane focuses on cloud computing. Both companies utilize open source technologies and DevOps methodologies. Aarna Networks additionally supports private 5G management. With its unique focus on edge and 5G services, Aarna Networks offers a significant advantage in meeting the needs of enterprises and network operators, enabling them to unlock new services, reduce operational costs, and improve time to market.
NearbyComputing
Aarna Networks and NearbyComputing compete in the enterprise edge and private 5G management market. Both companies offer solutions to address the complexity of managing these technologies, aiming to provide operational cost savings and improved time to market for their customers. However, Aarna Networks distinguishes itself by providing an open source platform. Aarna Networks also provides a more robust set of features for infrastructure orchestration.
News & Events
Aarna Networks Builds on First Nephio Release with Commercial Support Package
Aarna Networks has announced the release of its commercial support package for Nephio, a Kubernetes-based cloud native intent automation solution. This release allows communication service providers (CSPs) to quickly ramp up and start using Nephio for their cloud native intent automation needs. The commercial support package enhances Aarna's product offerings and demonstrates its commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for enterprise edge and private 5G management. This news is relevant for investors as it highlights Aarna's ability to meet the evolving needs of CSPs and its potential for growth in the market.
Aarna Networks Unveils a Host of New Initiatives Leading Up to Mobile World Congress 2023
Aarna Networks has announced several new initiatives that will be showcased at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2023. These initiatives include advancements in orchestration and management of complex heterogeneous environments, edge services, and 5G networks. Aarna's software and SaaS solutions leverage open source, cloud native, and DevOps methodologies to provide zero-touch edge and 5G service orchestration and management services. This news is relevant for investors as it demonstrates Aarna's commitment to innovation and its participation in industry events to showcase its capabilities.
Aarna Networks partners with picoNETS to deliver next-generation content on 5G
Aarna Networks has partnered with picoNETS to deliver next-generation content on 5G. This collaboration aims to leverage Aarna's software and SaaS solutions to provide zero-touch edge and 5G service orchestration and management services. The partnership is expected to enhance Aarna's offerings and improve time to market for enterprises and network operators. This news is relevant for investors as it showcases Aarna's commitment to innovation and its ability to form strategic partnerships.
Aarna Networks Expands Open RAN Collaboration by Joining the Telecom Infra Project
Aarna Networks has joined the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) as an Associate member and is onboarding into the OpenRAN Project Group and ROMA subgroup. This collaboration aims to align Aarna's offerings with industry requirements and promote collaboration around orchestration and automation of Open RAN technologies. This news is relevant for investors as it showcases Aarna's commitment to industry collaboration and its involvement in shaping the future of Open RAN technologies.
Aarna Networks Closes $3.5M Seed Round
Aarna Networks has successfully closed a $3.5 million seed round funding from top Silicon Valley and cross-border investors. The funding will be used to enhance Aarna's go-to-market efforts and further develop its software solutions for enterprise edge and private 5G management. This news is relevant for investors as it highlights Aarna's ability to attract significant investment and its potential for growth in the market.
Funding History
Aarna Networks has participated in two funding rounds to date. Their seed round, held on December 22, 2021, saw Aarna Networks successfully raise $3.5 million. The seed round was led by Silicon Valley Quad, Inventus Capital Partners, RiSo Capital, and Arka Venture Labs. Subsequently Aarna Networks has closed $4.8M of a $6M Series A round. The investment is co-led by LDVP and 3lines.vc. The round is expected to have a 2nd a final closing in October 2023.