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Versa Networks Named Hot Startup to Watch in 2021 Big50 Startup Report Recognizing the Top Startups in Tech

Versa Honored for SASE Growth Potential Delivering Industry’s Only Comprehensive Integration of Cloud Security, Networking, SD-WAN, Secure Access, and Analytics
San Jose, Calif., August 5, 2021

Versa Networks, a SaaS company and the leader in secure access service edge (SASE), today announced that it has been named a “Hot Startup to Watch” in Startup50’s 2021 Big50 Startup Report. The 2021 Big50 Startup Report spotlights 50 high-upside startups that have gained a foothold in fast-growth tech sectors.

Each year, Startup50 features startups that are poised to upend the status quo in a range of industries, from next-gen cybersecurity to SD-WAN to AI to IoT. The startups featured in the 2021 Big50 report are the best of the best, the startups that have distinguished themselves through online competitions and/or having the right fundamentals (team, funding, market opportunity) to challenge the status quo.

“The startups in the 2021 Big50 Startup Report are challenging the status quo in a number of high-growth, high-tech markets, including networking, security, AI, IoT, cloud, and more,” said Jeff Vance, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Startup50. “Recent Big50 alumni have been acquired by market leaders, raised massive rounds of funding, and successfully executed IPOs. The startups in this year’s report are well-positioned to continue that growing tradition of successful exits.”

Versa Networks offers Versa SASE as a SaaS, delivering tightly integrated services via the cloud, on-premises, or as a blended combination of both via Versa Operating System (VOS™) with a Single-Pass Parallel Processing architecture and managed through a single pane of glass. Versa began delivering SASE services such as VPN, Secure SD-WAN, Edge Compute Protection, Next-Generation Firewall, Next-Generation Firewall as a Service, Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) five years ago. Versa uniquely provides contextual security based on user, role, device, application, location, security posture of the device, and content. As the leader in the fastest growing security and networking category, SASE, and executing on SASE services for years, Versa is the only solution proven to deliver the industry’s leading and differentiated architecture for high performance and security. Gartner has identified Versa SASE as having the most SASE components out of all 56 vendors Gartner evaluated. Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) also found that Versa SASE has the most SASE supported functions, as published in its 2021 industry report.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a leading startup company poised for tremendous growth out of more than 180 companies competing in the 2021 Big50 program,” said Michael Wood, Chief Marketing Officer for Versa Networks. “SASE is the fastest growing segment in the security industry, and Versa has doubled its business with very aggressive growth targets ahead due to its unique integration of networking and security SASE services via the cloud or, if customers prefer, delivered on-premises or as a blended combination of both. Enterprises both large and small, as well as service providers, look to Versa as a strategic partner to address their complex secure access, networking and digital transformation needs. Versa is the modern secure network.”

The startups in the 2021 Big50 faced a series of challenges designed to test their ability to carve out a market niche, refine messaging, motivate customers, and impress VCs. Startups are also judged on their ability to secure funding, land on-the-record customers, and attract top-flight talent. In all, more than 180 startups were considered for the 2021 Big50. The Final 50 are the determined few who fought their way through the entire gauntlet and have the right tools (team, funding, market positioning, etc.) in place to upend markets.

Unlike competing solutions, Versa SASE was built from the ground up to deliver a tightly integrated SASE solution within a single software stack managed via a single interface, eliminating service chaining, cascading, and virtual interconnect between services, which is required by competitors. Competing solutions have hidden costs and gaps in security because they require multiple product and service components. Achieving visibility and control from solutions requiring service chaining to connect multiple components together proves ineffective, increasing the costs and attack surfaces for organizations.

About Startup50.com and the 2021 Big50 Startup Report

Jeff Vance founded Startup50 in 2013 to establish a site that would evaluate, test, and track hot technology startups. Jeff also regularly contributed features stories to a number of publications, including Network World, CIO, IDG Insider Pro, and many others.

The Big50 is Jeff’s yearly roundup of the hottest 50 tech startups to watch. To be featured in the Big50, startups must go through Startup50’s rigorous vetting process. The startups in this year’s report represent the technologies, market sectors, and trends that are poised to upend the economic status quo in the coming year and beyond. Read about them at www.startup50.com.

About Versa Networks

Versa Networks, the leader in SASE, combines extensive security, advanced networking, industry leading SD-WAN, genuine multitenancy, and sophisticated analytics via the cloud, on-premises, or as a blended combination of both to meet SASE requirements for small to extremely large enterprises and Service Providers, and via the simplified Versa Titan cloud service designed for Lean IT. Thousands of customers globally with hundreds of thousands of sites trust Versa with their networks, security, and clouds. Versa Networks is privately held and funded by Sequoia Capital, Mayfield, Artis Ventures, Verizon Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Liberty Global Ventures, Princeville Capital, RPS Ventures and Triangle Peak Partners. For more information, visit https://www.versa-networks.com or follow Versa Networks on Twitter @versanetworks.

Press Contact
Dan Spalding

dspalding@versa-networks.com
(408) 960-9297

Versa Networks, VOS, and Versa Titan are or may be registered trademarks of Versa Networks, Inc. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.