Volta Networks

About Volta Networks

Volta Networks, founded in 2015 by Ivo Raznjevic and Dean Bogdanovic, specialized in cloud-native virtual routing solutions. The company aimed to disrupt the traditional networking industry by separating the software control plane from the hardware, a move designed to significantly reduce costs and increase scalability for network operators. Its headquarters were in Boston, with a development office in Barcelona.

The company developed the Volta Elastic Virtual Routing Engine (VEVRE), a platform that moved the network control plane to public, private, or hybrid clouds. This architecture allowed customers to use lower-cost, high-performance 'white box' switches instead of expensive, proprietary routers. The system was designed to deliver flexibility and scalability, enabling a single switch to operate up to 255 virtual routers, each with a distinct administrative domain. This multi-tenancy simplified the creation and provisioning of new services. The product targeted network operators, including telecom and mobile providers, facing massive growth in data traffic and the need for more agile, cost-effective network infrastructures to support services like 5G and edge computing. Volta’s platform was designed to be interoperable with existing legacy routers, allowing for a gradual and cost-effective network evolution.

Over its lifetime, Volta Networks raised approximately $22.4 million in funding over four rounds. Despite developing recognized technology and securing trials with major network operators like NTT Communications, the company found the market wasn't fully prepared for wide-scale adoption of its solution. In July 2021, IBM acquired Volta Networks for an undisclosed sum to integrate its technology and engineering team into IBM's Cloud Pak for Network Automation. The acquisition brought Volta's VEVRE technology and about 50 employees to IBM, aiming to enhance IBM's network automation and analytics capabilities for the telecom sector.