Cidera

About Cidera

Cidera, originally incorporated as SkyCache in 1997, was an early player in the content delivery network (CDN) market. The company was founded by Doug Humphrey, who had previously co-founded and served as CEO of DIGEX, one of the first major Internet Service Providers. This background provided a deep understanding of internet infrastructure challenges, directly informing the new venture's mission.

The firm specialized in bypassing internet congestion by delivering web content, including cache optimization, streaming media, and Usenet news, via a satellite-based distribution network. This model, termed a global broadcast overlay network (GBON), aimed to reduce the number of network hops for data to just one, significantly speeding up content delivery for its clients, which included ISPs, content providers, and enterprise customers. The core of the service involved placing satellite dishes at points of presence (POPs) to cache content closer to end-users, thereby reducing latency and improving load times. The company generated revenue by selling these high-speed content delivery services.

SkyCache launched its initial service in 1998 and quickly expanded, securing over 100 sites globally by mid-1999 and launching services in Europe. In January 2000, the company rebranded from SkyCache to Cidera, a name derived from the Latin word for "star," to reflect its satellite-based technology and broader service offerings. The company pursued an aggressive growth strategy, raising significant private funding from prominent investors including The Carlyle Group, GE Equity, IVP, and New Enterprise Associates. By the end of 2000, Cidera had raised over $137 million and had withdrawn its plans for an initial public offering to focus on aggressive marketing and branding in a competitive market that included Akamai and Inktomi. Despite its early traction and substantial funding, Cidera ceased operations in 2003, a casualty of the dot-com bust.