Bigleaf Networks’ SD-WAN Success Drives Investment Round Led by GoAhead Ventures
Portland, OR – January 16, 2018 — Bigleaf Networks, the Cloud-first SD-WAN service that optimizes Internet and Cloud performance by dynamically choosing the best connection and adapting application prioritization in real-time, announced today it has closed an equity investment round of $4.9 million led by Menlo Park-based investor GoAhead Ventures. Other investors participating in the round included existing Bigleaf investors Oregon Angel Fund and Portland Seed Fund, as well as new investor Seattle Angel Fund. The financing will be used to scale Bigleaf’s sales and marketing efforts, operations, technology development, and global network expansion.
“As we started looking at Bigleaf and the SD-WAN market as a whole, we saw a company with strong differentiation and solid execution”, shared Takeshi “TK” Mori, Managing Partner of GoAhead Ventures. “While the SD-WAN market has grown quickly with several entrants, Bigleaf’s vision of using SD-WAN to build connectivity to cloud applications and services stands out. After interviewing several Bigleaf customers and partners, it was obvious that there is market demand and Bigleaf is delivering strong value.”
“This marks a significant step forward for us,” said Joel Mulkey, Founder and CEO of Bigleaf. “While I’m impressed with how well our team has executed over the past few years, I know we can do much more. This funding gives us the resources needed to serve our customers and partners better, at larger scale, in new geographies, and with new features and offerings.”
Bigleaf’s board Chairman, Bruce Chatterley added, “The team at Bigleaf consistently executed against their plan and has grown the business the right way. As a Board member, it’s been fun to watch and participate. I am excited for the team, investors, partners, and Bigleaf’s customers. With this investment, the market is going to see Bigleaf’s consistent execution at a whole new level.”
As part of the investment round, Bigleaf will be adding Takeshi “TK” Mori to its Board of Directors. Bigleaf co-founder and Vice President of Sales, Jeff Burchett, will also join the Board. Current Board members, Bruce Chatterley, Joel Mulkey, and John Desmond will continue to serve as well.