LayerOne Inc.

About LayerOne Inc.

LayerOne Inc. was a U.S.-based private corporation that provided carrier-neutral datacenters and interconnection services. Founded in 1999 by Alexander Muse, the company offered colocation, traffic exchange, and outsourced IT infrastructure solutions. LayerOne pioneered a 'buy-side' interconnection model, which encouraged carriers to join 'pooling points' in major cities without initial costs, charging them a monthly fee based on connection capacity instead. This model attracted over 800 carriers, ISPs, and businesses, including major telecommunications companies like AT&T, AOL, and Verizon.

By 2001, the company had raised over $20 million in venture capital and opened facilities in Dallas, Chicago, and Miami. After facing financial challenges when anticipated funding did not come through, the management team reorganized the company under the U.S. Bankruptcy code. Within three months, LayerOne became profitable and experienced significant growth over the next three years. In 2005, the company was acquired by Switch & Data, which provided a 600% return for its investors.