15 Edge computing companies to watch in 2020

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Who’s who in the edge computing world?

Edge computing primarily refers to bringing processing and storage capabilities closer to where it is needed. In practical terms, this means that processing can be done faster and data is more accessible. This can be used to enable ultra-low latency applications, as well as reduce backhaul traffic volumes and therefore costs. As IoT, cloud gaming, AR/VR, etc. proliferate, these capabilities will be increasingly necessary to both support and spur on innovation.

However, this is a nascent market that is starting to see significant investment pour into it – whether it be established technology companies building edge compute-enabled offerings, or new edge computing companies and start-ups seeking to add value in the ecosystem.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive understanding of how edge is being used, and by whom, we’d recommend you check out our Edge Ecosystem Tool.

In this article, we have provided a spotlight on 15 companies (in no particular order) who are making waves in edge computing and are “ones to watch” in the next couple of years…

1. Mutable

Main offering: Public edge cloud platform that uses microdata centres close to the end user to host applications on Mutable distributed cloud.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Cloud Infrastructure; Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Cloud Aggregation & Orchestration; Developer Platform; PaaS

Website: www.mutable.io

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2013

Mutable is a microservices PaaS solution, solving DevOps challenges for developers and providing edge technology to enable low latency, heightened security and operational efficiency for application providers, cable operators and cloud providers. Mutable’s software platform runs on operators’ existing servers. It automatically prioritises the workloads of the owner while selling the unused compute capacity through its own public cloud, to unlock the full revenue potential of existing servers. This also allows developers to deploy their apps to end-users without having to maintain their own cloud footprint.

Mutable is currently working with cable operators and other service providers to enable edge computing on their networks and offer applications to end customers.

2. SWIM.AI

Main offering: Edge-based software that executes real-time analytics and machine learning for enterprises, equipment manufacturers, smart-cities and IoT businesses.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Analytics & APIs; PaaS

Website: www.swim.ai

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2015

Swim AI offers DataFabric for enterprises, allowing them to obtain and analyse real-time data from distributed systems, which is then visualised onto a comprehensive dashboard that monitors all connected streams and systems. Swim AI revolutionises data processing by bringing the compute capabilities to the edge devices, which improves the response speed of applications while also reducing the complexity of infrastructure required.

Swim also offers Swim OS, a distributed operating system based on an integrated software stack. Developers can run complex applications on Swim OS, and notable apps include Ripple, Traffic and Transit.

3. MobiledgeX

Main offering: Multi-sided software platform provider, enabling critical use cases based on its managed ultra-low latency offering.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Cloud Infrastructure, Application & Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Analytics & APIs; PaaS; Virtualisation; Developer Platform

Website: www.mobiledgex.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2017

MobiledgeX, founded by Deutsche Telekom, is a multi-sided software platform provider in the mobile edge computing space, connecting operators, developers and cloud providers with edge resources to enable complex edge applications. MobiledgeX’s key focus is on their Edge-Cloud, a mobile edge network deployment, which features platform-independent SDKs, distributed matching engines and multi-tenant control plane that enables applications to be deployed in a simple manner.

MobiledgeX has (to date) signed at least 13 mobile operators globally to its ecosystem, including conducting trials and labs with notable players such as Deutsche Telekom, Telus, Rogers and NTT DoCoMo.

4. Affirmed Networks

Main offering: Affirmed Cloud Edge – fully virtualised gateway solution.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Network

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Edge Gateway

Website: www.affirmednetworks.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2010

Affirmed Networks develops mobile network solutions, specifically their virtualised cloud-native mobile core solution. They also offer a MEC-based solution: Affirmed’s Cloud Edge (ACE). Affirmed Networks state that this service will help CSPs in their deployment of content delivery networks (CDNs), AR and VR, autonomous vehicles, drones, IoT, and private networks for location-based services.

Affirmed is also working with companies such as Microsoft Azure and AWS to deploy vEPCs for private networks on AWS stacks (e.g. Outposts) and Azure Stack Edge.

5. Edge Gravity

Main offering: Edge Gravity cloud platform leveraging SP edge networks to deliver media and app content at the edge.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Cloud Infrastructure

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Cloud Aggregation & Orchestration Virtualisation; Developer Platform

Website: www.edgegravity.ericsson.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2018

Edge Gravity is Ericsson’s edge service offering. They offer ‘Edge Cloud Platform’ nodes around the world, both on telecoms operator infrastructure and hardware deployed by Edge Gravity. Their edge platform is initially targeting at optimising CDNs, online gaming and SD-WAN, although there is a long-tail list of applications that will leverage Edge Gravity’s platform in the long run.

6. Ori

Main offering: DNA – on-demand mobile edge computing platform for opening up the network edge for third party and internal developers.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Platform-as-a-Service/Middleware

Website: www.ori.co

HQ: U.K.

Date founded: 2018

Ori is looking to offer an edge computing platform that is fully integrated across the cloud infrastructure. Ori specifically targets developers and offers a user-interface which outlines the metrics of various edge servers across local areas, helping to achieve optimised networks.

Ori provides a PaaS layer on top of any edge – whether it be public or private cloud, an operator’s edge, or an enterprise edge. Developers can manage workloads and dynamically orchestrate their applications based on key parameters such as latency, jitter, availability, etc.

7. Packet

Main offering: Bare metal public cloud at the edge.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Cloud Infrastructure

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Developer Platform

Website: www.packet.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2014

Packet’s aim is to help SaaS companies deploy physical network infrastructure at a global scale. By selling bare-metal public cloud, Packet helps to deliver the capabilities of hyperscalers to smaller players. Moving beyond public cloud, Packet now plans to offer a bare-metal edge cloud solution which is customisable with respect to location, hardware, and environment.

8. EdgeConneX

Main offering: Edge data centers including some cloud connectivity and hardware products and services.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Facility

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Site maintenance and operations

Website: www.edgeconnex.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2009

EdgeConneX builds and operates purpose-built edge data centres. They offer a range of data centre products, from Hyperscale facilities to Edge Data Centres and Edge Small Cells located as close to the edge/end-user as possible. They work closely with customers so as to ensure tailored scalability, power, and connectivity. EdgeConneX currently operate across North America, South America, and Europe. Their main clients include content providers, network and cable operators, and colocation companies.

9. Section

Main offering: DevOps-centric Edge Compute Platform to help simplify distributed computing at scale.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Platform-as-a-Service/Middleware

Website: www.section.io

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2012

Section is an edge compute platform totally focused on DevOps – the edge platform fully integrates with application engineers’ workloads. DevOps teams are able to update workflows, and have access to real-time metrics enabling increased visibility across development, testing, acceptance and production (DTAP). The key message from Section is allowed developers to deploy a workload where, when and how they need to.

10. Hangar

Main offering: Autonomous RaaS (Robotics-as-a-Service) to leverage edge data centres and enable drones to navigate without human intervention, as well as extract data and analyse this in real-time.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Platform-as-a-Service/Middleware

Website: www.hangar.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2016

Hangar provides drone software that enables companies to automate aerial inspections, digitise assets and obtain actionable analytics. This is achieved by combining hardware, software and services within a single platform.

Hangar has partnered with Vapor IO in order to deliver autonomous robotics at the edge of the networks. Vapor IO distributes hyper local, micro data centres within existing network infrastructure. Called the Kinetic Edge this allow for low latency and scalable compute at the edge of the network. Hangar is leveraging this Kinetic Edge to provide autonomous drone operations while delivering 4D Visual Insights.

11. Kontron

Main offering: Industrial computer platform for edge applications or edge gateways.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Hardware

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Servers

Website: www.kontron.com

HQ: Germany

Date founded: 1959

Kontron provides a range of secure hardware, middleware and services for edge computing applications, including those in the Internet of Things (IoT) domain. Kontron’s edge computing solution avoids the problem of costly data transmission. Data is collected, processed and analysed by industrial computers in real time. This data is sent onto to private, on-premise cloud in manageable data sets.

Kontron has specialised hardware to meet a range of edge computing use cases: vRAN vs. MEC vs. IoT, as well as depending on where the server is deployed: Enterprise Site, Radio Head, Base Station, Central Office, Street Cabinet.

12. German Edge Cloud

Main offering: Private edge cloud infrastructure (IaaS) and platforms (PaaS) for industry-specific applications, particularly in factory environments.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Platform-as-a-Service/Middleware

Website: www.gec.io

HQ: Germany

Date founded: 2019

German Edge Cloud (GEC), part of the Friedhelm Loh Group, has developed ONCITE in partnership with IoTOS. ONCITE is an industrial edge cloud appliance aimed at midsized manufacturing companies. It will enable them to obtain new insights from their production data through real-time data availability as well as supplementary network AI capabilities. GEC aims to target companies which are less likely to opt for solutions from the hyperscale cloud service providers.

German Edge Cloud leverages the various assets under the Friedhelm Loh Group: Rittal (hardware), IoTOS (software solutions), iNNOVO Cloud (managed services) and Eplan (engineering).

13. EdgeInfra

Main offering: Micro edge-data centres co-located on site in places such as macro cell towers and other mobile network locations, or on fixed networks.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Facility

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Data Centre

Website: www.edgeinfra.net

HQ: The Netherlands

Date founded: 2018

Currently in pre-launch phase, EdgeInfra is looking to provide micro edge-data centres located at the extreme edge of network and mobile infrastructure in Europe. This will enable ultra-local interconnected micro eco-systems where deployed.

The core factors that underpin EdgeInfra’s solutions include creating a neutral infrastructure, open ecosystems, multi-tenancy and focus to bring specialists together through partnerships.

14. AlefEdge

Main offering: Enabling 5G applications through open APIs at the edge for AI, AR/VR, Smart Cities, IoT, etc. via edge gateways, the edge cloud and end-applications.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Network; Cloud Infrastructure, Application & Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Edge Gateway; Analytics & APIs; PaaS; Virtualisation; Developer Platform

Website: www.alefedge.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2013

A leader in the Edge Internet, AlefEdge enables 5G applications through open APIs at the Edge. This creates an ‘open edge ecosystem’ that will enable businesses, developers and networks to work in a friction-free way. AlefEdge is looking to leverage the ‘world’s first Edge applications’ in Virtual and Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, Smart Cities, IoT and Gaming.

AlefEdge is working with telecoms operators worldwide on edge compute solutions and recently announced a live deployment of an edge area network in Massachusetts via partnerships with Packet and Federated Wireless.

15. ClearBlade

Main offering: IoT Edge Platform – Edge computing software.

Ecosystem Tool Category: Application/Software

Ecosystem Tool Sub-category: Platform-as-a-Service

Website: www.clearblade.com

HQ: U.S.

Date founded: 2007

ClearBlade is an edge computing software company which provides a single platform offering the ability to leverage local compute, artificial intelligence and actionable visualisations. Operating in the cloud, on premise, and at the edge, ClearBlade’s middleware platform is designed to seamlessly connect the various parts of IoT.

ClearBlade is also using blockchain and smart contract technology to track progress and provide immutable, highly visible supply chains for industrial ecosystems.