Frontline Systems

Name

Frontline Systems

Legal name

Frontline Systems, Inc.

Website

https://solver.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advanced Analytics Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

iBPMS (Intelligent BPM Suites) & Process Automation Suites (HDAEAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

IT Workflow Automation & Orchestration Platforms (HDAEALAF), Model Development & Training Platforms (AutoML, Notebooks, Feature Stores) (HDAEANAB)

Keywords

• Mathematical optimization
• Monte Carlo simulation
• Predictive analytics
• Data mining tools
• Decision intelligence

Headquarters

HQ city

Incline Village

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: Perpetual one-time license sales for Analytic Solver, Solver SDK, XLMiner SDK, and Solver Engines. License tiers range from basic to comprehensive packages.
2. Subscription Services: Cloud-based RASON Decision Services and Analytic Solver Cloud version offered on subscription basis for ongoing access, updates, and cloud computing resources.
3. Academic Licensing: Significant discounts for educational institutions; bundled free with leading textbooks; academic certification pricing for researchers.
4. Technical Support and Maintenance: Annual Support Contracts providing access to technical support and software upgrades. Response time averaging 12 hours with 90% user satisfaction.
5. Consulting and Training Services: On-demand consulting assistance and model-building expertise; self-paced online courses through Solver.Academy.
6. OEM/Embedded Licensing: Solver technology embedded in Microsoft Office since 1990; runtime license options with quantity discounts for ISVs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Frontline Systems develops and sells advanced analytics software for mathematical optimization, Monte Carlo simulation, risk analysis, data mining, machine learning, and DMN-compatible business rules / decision tables. Its core offerings include the Analytic Solver for Excel add-in, the Solver SDK Platform and XLMiner SDK Platform for developers, the RASON REST API and cloud platform, plus a library of plug-in Solver Engines. More than 1.2 billion Solver copies have shipped in Microsoft Office since 1990, and 2 million users have adopted the cloud-based analytics platforms.

Product overview

Frontline Systems offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered on Excel-based analytics and cloud-based decision intelligence. The core product is Analytic Solver Platform, which integrates all capabilities: Analytic Solver Optimization (for large-scale optimization), Analytic Solver Simulation (for Monte Carlo/risk analysis), and Analytic Solver Data Science (for data mining/ML). For developers, there are Solver SDK Platform (optimization/simulation SDK) and XLMiner SDK Platform (predictive analytics SDK). RASON serves as the cloud deployment layer - both as a REST API and modeling language embedded in JSON, with RASON Desktop for Power BI/Excel integration and RASON Cloud Service for Azure-hosted decision services. Solver Engines are plug-in add-ons extending optimization to millions of variables. Free browser add-ins include Solver App, Risk Solver Add-in, XLMiner Analysis ToolPak, and XLMiner Data Visualization for Excel Online and Google Sheets. Training is provided through Analytic Solver Academy. Over 1.2 billion Solver copies have been distributed in Microsoft Office since 1990.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Analytic Solver: Integrated tool for optimization, simulation, data science and machine learning in Excel. Formerly Analytic Solver Platform.
• Premium Solver
• Risk Solver
• XLMiner
• RASON
• Solver SDK
• XLMiner SDK
• Solver Engines

Products and services

• Analytic Solver for Excel Comprehensive Excel-based analytics add-in that integrates forecasting, data mining, machine learning, Monte Carlo simulation, risk analysis, decision tables, and conventional and stochastic optimization for business analysts.
• Solver SDK Platform Object-oriented software development kit for optimization and simulation. Provides APIs in C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, PHP, MATLAB, and Visual Basic, can load and solve Excel workbooks on servers without Excel (including on Linux), and includes a RASON interpreter for cross-team collaboration.
• XLMiner SDK Platform Software development kit for building predictive analytics applications using forecasting, data mining, text mining, and machine learning algorithms. Supports C++, C#, .NET, Java, Python, and R via a high-level object-oriented API with DataFrames, Estimators, and Models constructs.
• RASON (RESTful Analytic Solver Object Notation) JSON-embedded modeling language (with Excel formula language as a subset) and REST API for mathematical optimization, business rules, Monte Carlo simulation, risk analysis, and data mining. Backed by a cloud decision services platform on Microsoft Azure with deployment support for Power Platform, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365.
• Solver Engines Plug-in optimization engines that extend Platform products (analyst or SDK) to handle problems up to 200,000 variables and constraints. Includes Large-Scale LP, Large-Scale GRG, Large-Scale SQP, XPRESS, Gurobi, KNITRO, LGO Global, OptQuest, Evolutionary, and Interval Global Solver engines.
• Solver Apps (Premium Solver App, Risk Solver Add-in, XLMiner Analysis ToolPak, XLMiner Data Visualization, Solver App) Browser- and cloud-based add-ins for Excel Online, Excel for Web / Windows / Macintosh, Google Sheets, Office 365, and SharePoint. Suite includes Premium Solver App (solves linear models up to 2,000 variables on Azure), Risk Solver Add-in (Monte Carlo simulation), XLMiner Analysis ToolPak App (statistical functions plus logistic regression), XLMiner Data Visualization App (Scatterplot Matrix, Parallel Coordinates, Box Plot), and the free Solver App.
• Analytic Solver Academy (Solver.Academy) Self-paced online training and courses covering optimization, Monte Carlo simulation, risk analysis, and data science. Delivered through Solver.Academy to support both individual learners and educational institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $1 million in savings uncovered by Kraft Foods on first distribution network optimization project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

AI capability7 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• Dash AssociatescoreTechnology or Integration · 5 November 2000Cross-Licensing Agreement in 2000 where Frontline embeds XPRESS-MP solver technology in Solver engines integrated with Premium Solver Platform. Dash offers Premium Solver Platform to their customers. XPRESS handles up to 200,000 variables and constraints.
• MicrosoftcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFrontline developed the Solver component embedded in all copies of Microsoft Office since 1990 (over 1.2 billion copies distributed). Strategic OEM partnership making Frontline Solvers the standard in Excel.
• Apache SparkkeyTechnology or IntegrationFrontline was the first vendor to offer business analysts easy access to Big Data in compute clusters running Apache Spark.
• Microsoft AzurekeyTechnology or IntegrationCloud-based RASON Decision Services run on Windows Azure. Analytic Solver Cloud version and Solver Server run on Azure infrastructure.
• Microsoft Power PlatformkeyTechnology or IntegrationRASON Decision Services provides best-in-class support for Microsoft Power Platform including Power BI, Power Apps, and Power Automate. Models can be deployed as instant decision services usable in these tools.
• OptTek Systems (Fred Glover, Manuel Laguna, James Kelly)coreTechnology or IntegrationOptQuest Solver Engine developed by professors at University of Colorado and principals of OptTek Systems. Uses innovative metaheuristic methods (tabu search, scatter search) for nonsmooth optimization. Handles up to 5,000 variables and 1,000 constraints.
• Pinter Consulting ServiceskeyTechnology or IntegrationClose cooperation in developing LGO Global Solver Engine. LGO includes global and local scope search methods for continuous global optimization problems.
• University of California San Diego / Stanford University (Gill, Murray, Saunders)keyTechnology or IntegrationLarge-Scale SQP Solver based on Sparse Nonlinear Optimizer (SNOPT) developed by Phillip Gill (UCSD), Walter Murray and Michael Saunders (Stanford). Considered among best available nonlinear optimizers.
• Lionheart PublishingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to launch Solver International Magazine for Business Analysts in 2017, providing industry publication for analytics community.
• GurobicoreTechnology or IntegrationGurobi Solver Engine available as plug-in for Frontline's Platform products. Features remarkable performance on challenging linear mixed-integer optimization models.
• Textbook PublisherskeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive software bundled with leading MBA textbooks; over 45 textbooks feature Frontline Solvers; partners with publishers for academic distribution.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• KNIME: KNIME offers an open-source data analytics platform with data mining, ML, and modeling capabilities. Competes with Frontline's XLMiner data science line for analysts and data scientists building predictive and prescriptive workflows.
• DataRobot: DataRobot provides automated machine learning and decision intelligence for enterprise data science teams. Adjacent competitor to Frontline's XLMiner predictive analytics offering, focused on AI-driven modeling and deployment.

Broad incumbents

• SAS Institute: SAS offers a broad analytics, optimization, simulation, and machine learning platform spanning data management to advanced analytics. Competes with Frontline in optimization, data mining, and decisioning, but at much greater enterprise scale and breadth.
• Palantir Foundry: Palantir Foundry is a decision intelligence and operational analytics platform serving large enterprises with complex, multi-source decision workflows. Overlaps with RASON Decision Services in automating enterprise decisions at scale, though Palantir operates at materially larger scope.
• IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization Studio: IBM's CPLEX is the most established large-scale optimization solver, sold as part of a broader decision optimization and data science portfolio. Competes head-to-head with Frontline's optimization stack within enterprise accounts, but IBM brings adjacent data and AI capabilities.

Direct peers

• Alteryx: Alteryx delivers an end-to-end analytics platform covering data preparation, predictive modeling, and optimization for business analysts without heavy coding. Closely comparable to Frontline's Excel-centric, analyst-friendly workflow but with a modern cloud-native stack.
• Gurobi Optimization: Gurobi develops high-performance mathematical optimization solvers for LP, MIP, and NLP that compete directly with Frontline's plug-in Solver Engines (XPRESS, Gurobi, KNITRO) and Premium Solver line. Both companies serve enterprise optimization customers with similar solver technology and APIs.
• MathWorks MATLAB: MATLAB provides numerical computing with Optimization Toolbox covering LP, QP, NLP, and global optimization—directly overlapping Frontline's core solver capabilities. Both target engineers and scientists doing mathematical modeling and prescriptive analytics.
• Wolfram Mathematica: Wolfram Mathematica is a technical computing platform with built-in optimization, statistics, and symbolic computation used by researchers and engineers. Comparable to Frontline as a mathematical/analytical computation environment for technical users doing optimization and modeling.
• FICO Xpress Optimization: FICO Xpress provides enterprise optimization software powered by the XPRESS solver engine, which Frontline actually cross-licenses under a 2000 OEM agreement. Direct peer competing in mathematical optimization for finance, supply chain, and industrial enterprise use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/frontlinesolver
• Facebookfacebook.com/frontlinesolvers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frontline-systems-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Frontline Systems