Alkira raises $54m to expand cloud networking IaaS exchanges

Enterprise network cloud firm Alkira has raised US$54 million in a Series B funding round this week, led by Koch Disruptive Technologies and supported by GV, Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and other investors.

Alkira will use the new funding to scale its business and the Alkira Cloud Services Exchange, which is an infrastructure-as-a-service platform that provides connectivity for cloud networks.

According to Alkira founder, president and CEO Amir Khan, Koch was an early customer that deployed the Alkira Cloud Services Exchange and also shares the company's vision to 'transform networking'.

"Koch has entrusted Alkira to rebuild their cloud network backbone and expand their network infrastructure to multi-cloud. We are delighted to welcome Jason Illian to our board, and to receive the ongoing support from Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins, and GV on this exciting journey.

Koch Disruptive Technologies, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, operates as an investment firm.

The company's managing director Jason Illian says that the Alkira team of Amir and Atif Khan have a strong track record and approach to network cloud that could be 'more disruptive than SD-WAN'.

"We see a changing business model as companies recognize the value in moving to a network on demand. In Koch's case, Alkira's technology has allowed the company to execute its cloud networking operations in days or just hours from what used to be six to 18 months.

Illian will join Alkira's board of directors, which currently comprises Alkira founders Amir and Atif Khan, Sequoia partner Bill Coughran, and Kleiner Perkins partner Marmoon Hamid.

Koch Disruptive Technologies president Chase Koch adds, "Koch Industries is a significant customer to cloud providers, and we have seen first-hand how Alkira's powerful and intuitive network simplifies a company's transition to the cloud.

Koch adds that the company needs an agile, end-to-end network to ensure competitiveness and growth.

Alkira's Cloud Service Exchange also provides integrated network and security services, as well as end-to-end operational visibility and governance.

The company has raised US$76 million in funding so far from Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Koch Disruptive Technologies, LLC, and GV Capital (formerly Google Ventures).

Alkira was also recently named a Gartner 2020 Cool Vendor in Enhanced Internet Services and Cloud Connectivity.

"Alkira is grateful to be named a Gartner Cool Vendor and sees its recognition as validation for its multi-cloud growth opportunity, the need for connectivity everywhere, simplified distributed cloud environments, and consistency and governance across workloads," says Amir Khan.

"Companies deserve a network on demand with integrated network and security service which is as agile as their cloud service.