Qwilt
Qwilt develops edge cloud content delivery technology, embedding 2,000+ caching nodes inside 175+ service provider networks globally to deliver low-latency streaming, gaming, and software distribution to over one billion subscribers across 38 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersRedwood City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Qwilt does
Qwilt is a private edge cloud content delivery company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Redwood City, California. It develops the Open Edge Cloud platform, a deeply distributed architecture that embeds caching and delivery nodes inside service provider networks at the neighborhood level, rather than at internet exchange points used by traditional CDNs. The platform spans 2,196+ edge nodes across 38 countries and six continents, serving over one billion unique subscribers through 175+ service provider partners including Comcast, Verizon, Vodafone, BT, Airtel, and Telefónica. Qwilt's technology is Open Caching-compliant with the Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA) standards, where Qwilt is a founding member and Chair of the Open Caching Working Group.
The product portfolio centers on the Open Edge Cloud and Open Edge CDN, complemented by industry-specific solutions for OTT streaming, gaming, and software delivery, all accessible through a unified Open API. Cloud-based machine learning continuously optimizes traffic routing, caching decisions, and congestion management across the federated network, achieving outcomes such as a 60% latency reduction documented in the Fastweb deployment.
Qwilt generates revenue through a combination of recurring edge cloud subscriptions, usage-based content delivery fees from publishers, managed services for deployment and operations, and licensing through its OEM partnership with Cisco. Pricing is quote-based on multi-year enterprise contracts, with no public rate cards. The company has raised approximately $135 million in disclosed venture funding, including a $70 million Series E led by Cisco in September 2021 at an $800 million valuation, and is backed by Accel, Bessemer Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Innovation Endeavors, Disruptive, and Marker.
Qwilt firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Qwilt
- Legal name
- Qwilt Inc.
- Website
- https://qwilt.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Qwilt develops edge cloud content delivery technology, embedding 2,000+ caching nodes inside 175+ service provider networks globally to deliver low-latency streaming, gaming, and software distribution to over one billion subscribers across 38 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Qwilt industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Edge Cloud Content Delivery Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Edge Compute Platforms (Serverless Edge, Edge Functions) (HDABAGAB)
Keywords
Where Qwilt is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redwood City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Qwilt business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Edge Cloud Services Subscription: Qwilt generates revenue by providing edge cloud content delivery services to service providers and content publishers. Service providers deploy Qwilt's Open Edge technology within their networks and pay for the platform and services, while content publishers access the federated global edge network through subscription arrangements.
- Usage-Based Content Delivery: Revenue is generated based on the volume of content delivered through the Open Edge network, with capacity and performance metrics determining pricing for content publishers.
- Managed Services: Qwilt provides managed services including deployment, configuration, monitoring, and ongoing technical support for service providers deploying the Open Edge platform.
- Joint Solution Licensing: Revenue from licensing Qwilt's Open Edge technology as part of joint solutions with Cisco, where the combined platform is offered to service providers globally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise service provider tier |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Qwilt product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Qwilt develops and operates an Open Edge Cloud platform that delivers content and applications from deeply embedded nodes within service provider networks, providing ultra-low latency and hyper-local performance for real-time applications. The platform combines Open Caching technology, SVTA-compliant Open APIs, and cloud-based machine learning to deliver streaming video, gaming content, and software downloads at the network edge. Service providers deploy Qwilt's software within their networks while content publishers access the federated global edge network through a single programmatic API.
Product overview
Qwilt offers a unified Open Edge Cloud platform for content and application delivery, consisting of the core Open Edge Cloud platform, edge node software, and cloud services. The platform operates through a global network of over 2,000 deeply embedded edge nodes across service provider networks, accessible via Open APIs compliant with SVTA standards. The product portfolio includes industry-specific solutions for OTT streaming, gaming, and software delivery, all leveraging the shared Global Edge Network infrastructure. Qwilt's model differs from traditional CDNs by partnering directly with service providers to embed delivery capability within their networks, enabling content publishers to deliver experiences closer to end users than ever before.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Open Edge Cloud Qwilt's flagship edge cloud platform that delivers content and applications from deeply embedded nodes within service provider networks, providing ultra-low latency and hyper-local performance for real-time applications including AI inference, immersive media, and interactive services.
- Open Edge CDN Open caching-based content delivery network that embeds cache nodes within service provider networks, closer to end users than traditional CDNs. Uses SVTA-compliant open APIs for content control and delivery optimization.
- Global Edge Network A federated network of over 2,000 deeply embedded edge nodes across service provider networks worldwide, spanning six continents and 38 countries, accessible through a single programmatic API.
- Gaming Solutions Delivers game software, patches, and updates from cache nodes within gamers' ISPs, bypassing network congestion and enabling faster game launches with lower latency and superior quality digital experiences for gaming companies and publishers.
- Software Delivery Delivers software downloads and patches from the network edge, moving distribution deeper into ISP networks to bypass congestion during peak traffic hours and save bandwidth capacity for software publishers and enterprise customers.
- OTT Solutions Content delivery solutions for over-the-top streaming platforms, enabling high-quality video streaming with reduced latency and improved quality of experience for OTT subscribers.
- Media Delivery Content publisher-focused media delivery solution built on Open Edge technology, enabling delivery of streaming video and other media content at the quality originally intended for content publishers and media companies.
- Site Delivery Web content and application delivery solution leveraging the distributed edge network for improved performance and reduced latency for content publishers and web application providers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% reduction in average latency
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Qwilt
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Qwilt technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature6 records
Qwilt partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.
- CorixcoreQwilt announced strategic partnership with Corix to enhance content delivery across North America and Europe, enabling Corix to leverage Qwilt's Open Edge technology to scale its network capacity by +6.2Tbps.
- ComcastflagshipComcast deployed Qwilt's Open Edge platform for distributed CDN, leveraging edge compute to enhance streaming experience for consumers and create a standardized platform for content delivery on its network.
- PROENregionalPROEN Corp Public Company Limited (Thailand) deployed Qwilt and Cisco's Open Edge CDN solution to improve digital content delivery quality throughout Thailand with national coverage.
- Link NetregionalLink Net (Indonesia) partnered with Qwilt and Cisco to deploy Open Caching solution elevating video streaming experiences across Indonesia to 3 million homes in 27 cities.
- FastwebregionalFastweb, one of Italy's leading telecommunications operators, adopted Cisco and Qwilt's Open Caching solution to enhance streaming experiences across its fixed and mobile network.
- VerizonflagshipVerizon deployed Qwilt's Open Caching solution to optimize content delivery and improve Quality of Experience for its customers in North America.
- VodafoneflagshipVodafone partnered with Qwilt and Cisco to deploy Open Caching, improving streaming services for millions of customers across Europe and Africa.
- BTflagshipBT championed Open Caching deployment enabling the first 5G MEC capability in the UK, improving streaming experiences for UK customers.
- AirtelflagshipAirtel partnered with Qwilt to provide content delivery services throughout India, enabling improved quality for 400+ million subscribers.
- CirioncoreCirion partnered with Qwilt to deploy Open Caching in Latin America, transforming content delivery across LATAM and serving 600+ million Latin American consumers.
- TelefónicacoreTelefónica partnered with Qwilt to provide content delivery services in Spain, implementing the first commercial integration based entirely on SVTA Open Caching standards.
- stc Groupregionalstc Group deployed Open Caching solution to boost quality of streaming experiences in the Middle East.
- NCTC (National Content and Technology Cooperative)regional100+ NCTC members, rural US ISPs, are building a nationwide federated CDN by deploying Qwilt's Open Edge solution.
- J:COMregionalJ:COM deployed Qwilt's Open Caching solution to deliver superior digital experiences across Japan.
- TIM BrazilregionalTIM Brazil deployed Qwilt's Open Caching CDN with Cisco's edge compute and networking infrastructure to improve streaming experience for customers in Brazil.
- Telecom ArgentinaregionalTelecom Argentina launched new Cisco-Qwilt and Digital Alpha CDN solution to improve streaming experience for its customers in Argentina.
- Telecom ItaliaregionalTelecom Italia leverages Qwilt's Open Edge technology for content delivery services in Italy.
- Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA)flagshipQwilt is a founding member of SVTA and serves as Chair of the Alliance's Open Caching Working Group, driving the definition, endorsement and adoption of Open Caching specifications.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Qwilt competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cloudflare: Cloudflare operates one of the largest global edge/CDN networks with Workers for edge compute. It is a direct competitor to Qwilt's Open Edge Cloud in content delivery, edge compute, and developer APIs, with significantly larger scale and broader enterprise footprint.
- Akamai Technologies: Akamai is the incumbent CDN market leader, operating a globally distributed edge platform for media delivery, security, and edge compute. It competes directly with Qwilt for content publisher workloads but lacks Qwilt's deep ISP-embedded deployment model.
- Fastly: Fastly provides an edge cloud platform combining CDN, edge compute (Compute@Edge), and security services. It is a direct peer to Qwilt in edge-based content delivery and programmable edge APIs, targeting similar enterprise and developer customers.
- Edgio (formerly Limelight Networks): Edgio operates an edge-enabled content delivery network with media optimization and edge compute capabilities. It competes directly with Qwilt for streaming, OTT, and software delivery workloads, though it uses a more traditional CDN architecture rather than ISP-embedded nodes.
- StackPath: StackPath provides edge computing and CDN services with a focus on low-latency content delivery and edge workloads. It targets similar media and SaaS customers as Qwilt and represents a comparable niche edge cloud competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon CloudFront: CloudFront is AWS's global CDN tightly integrated with the broader AWS ecosystem (S3, Lambda@Edge, AI services). It competes with Qwilt for content delivery workloads but as part of a much larger hyperscale cloud platform rather than a specialized edge solution.
- Microsoft Azure Front Door / Azure CDN: Azure's CDN and Front Door services deliver content and applications at global scale, integrated with Azure compute and AI services. It is a broad incumbent competitor rather than a specialized edge cloud vendor like Qwilt.
- Google Cloud CDN: Google Cloud CDN delivers content from Google's global edge and integrates with Google Cloud's networking and AI services. It competes with Qwilt for enterprise content delivery but as part of a broad hyperscale cloud offering.
- Verizon Edge / Verizon Media (Edgio-adjacent): Verizon offers its own edge computing and MEC services, leveraging its network infrastructure. As both a Qwilt partner and a potential vertically-integrated competitor, it represents the broader incumbent telco edge play Qwilt must navigate.
Regional players
- Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink): Lumen provides CDN and edge services primarily across its North American and European network footprint. It operates as a telco-led edge/CDN provider comparable in approach to Qwilt but with a different geographic concentration and partner ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Qwilt social profiles
Digital presenceQwilt compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Qwilt financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Qwilt leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Qwilt funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Qwilt M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Qwilt
What does Qwilt do?
Qwilt develops and operates an Open Edge Cloud platform that delivers content and applications from deeply embedded nodes within service provider networks, providing ultra-low latency and hyper-local performance for real-time applications. The platform combines Open Caching technology, SVTA-compliant Open APIs, and cloud-based machine learning to deliver streaming video, gaming content, and software downloads at the network edge. Service providers deploy Qwilt's software within their networks while content publishers access the federated global edge network through a single programmatic API.
Is Qwilt a public or private company?
Qwilt is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Qwilt founded?
Qwilt was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Qwilt based?
Qwilt is headquartered in Redwood City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Qwilt make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Edge Cloud Services Subscription is the primary driver. The others are usage-Based Content Delivery, managed Services and joint Solution Licensing.
Who are Qwilt's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cloudflare, Akamai Technologies, Fastly, Edgio (formerly Limelight Networks) and StackPath. Broad incumbents are Amazon CloudFront, Microsoft Azure Front Door / Azure CDN, Google Cloud CDN and Verizon Edge / Verizon Media (Edgio-adjacent). Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink) is listed as a regional player.
Does Qwilt have an API?
Yes. Qwilt offers Open APIs as part of its Open Edge Cloud platform, enabling content publishers to programmatically access and control content delivery through SVTA-compliant open APIs. The APIs provide extensive configurability, event-driven content and control, and comprehensive content control with feature activation capabilities. Qwilt Cloud Services provides the programmatic interface for managing the edge delivery network. Developer documentation is at docs.qwilt.com.
What industry is Qwilt in?
Qwilt's product category is Edge Cloud Content Delivery Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABAGAB, Edge Compute Platforms (Serverless Edge, Edge Functions). Its NAICS code is 518210 and its SIC code is 7370.