Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange

What Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange does

Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange (MICE) is a cooperative Local Exchange Point (IXP) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The organization operates a Layer 2 internet exchange fabric that enables direct peering among 158 participant networks — primarily ISPs, regional telecommunications providers, content delivery networks, cloud service providers, and educational institutions in the upper Midwest. The exchange was established to address the "Chicago Problem," the lack of proximate regional internet exchange infrastructure, by allowing member networks to exchange traffic locally rather than backhauling to distant hubs. As a cooperative LLC under Minnesota law with IRS tax-exempt status, MICE is governed by an elected board of directors drawn from participating networks, with a Chief Manager (President), Treasurer/Secretary, Peering Coordinator, and standing Technical and Web committees.

The core technology platform consists of BGP route servers (dual configuration: 206.108.255.1 and 206.108.255.2), IXP Manager for port and member administration, RPKI/ROA validation, IRR-based route filtering integrated with ARIN, BFD support, and BGP communities for selective route announcement. The exchange supports a 9000 MTU fabric and operates on Arista, Juniper, and Cisco switching hardware, with physical infrastructure hosted at the Cologix datacenter (The Minnesota Gateway / 511 building) and a remote switch at Ridgeview datacenter. Additional remote switches operated by third parties extend the fabric. MICE participates in MANRS (Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security), hosts a public Looking Glass, and provides Cacti-based traffic graphing.

MICE generates revenue through subscription-based membership and port connection fees paid by participating networks on multi-year contracts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led: prospective members contact [email protected] to initiate connection via the MICE Order Form, with engagement driven through mailing lists (mice-discuss, mice-announce), regular User Group meetings (UG 1 through UG 50), a LinkedIn group, and a Facebook page. The exchange does not offer public APIs, mobile applications, or proprietary software products beyond the cooperative-managed infrastructure itself. Equipment, cash, and service contributions from members (Hurricane Electric, Nuvera Communications, Wikstrom Telephone Company, University of Minnesota, US Internet, Cologix, Arista, Juniper, and others) have historically underwritten infrastructure buildout.

Name

Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange

Legal name

Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange LLC

Website

https://micemn.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange (MICE) is a Minneapolis-based cooperative internet exchange point enabling direct Layer 2 peering among 158 ISP, telecom, content, and education networks in the upper Midwest via subscription-based port memberships and BGP route servers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Exchange Services

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)

akta.pro primary industry

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) & Peering Services (HDABALAC)

Keywords

• Internet exchange services
• Network peering fabric
• BGP route servers
• Cooperative IXP
• Traffic exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership/Participant Fees: As a cooperative, MICE operates through membership fees from participants. Networks pay to connect and exchange traffic through the IXP. Specific pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MICE operates a cooperative internet exchange point (IXP) in Minneapolis, MN, providing Layer 2 network interconnection and direct peering services to 158 participant networks. The core offering is the IXP fabric that enables ISPs, content providers, and educational networks in the upper Midwest to exchange traffic locally, supported by BGP route servers, an IXP Manager platform, a public Looking Glass, and traffic graphing tools.

Product overview

MICE operates as a cooperative Local Exchange Point (IXP) in Minneapolis, MN, providing a unified platform for internet network interconnection. The core offering is the IXP fabric enabling direct peering between 158 networks. Supporting infrastructure includes BGP route servers for automated route exchange, an IXP Manager platform for port administration, a public looking glass for route visibility, and traffic graphing. The exchange supports advanced features including RPKI validation, IRR-based filtering, BFD support, and BGP communities for selective route announcement. Additional community tools include mailing lists for technical discussion and governance announcements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MICE IXP Fabric The core internet exchange point fabric enabling direct Layer 2 peering between 158 participant networks in Minneapolis, MN, providing connectivity for cloud and content traffic with support for 9000 MTU.
• Route Servers BGP route servers (Route Server 1: 206.108.255.1 and Route Server 2: 206.108.255.2) that enable participants to exchange routes without bilateral sessions, supporting RPKI/ROA validation, IRR-based route filtering, and BFD for failure detection.
• IXP Manager Management platform for IXP operations including member port summary, VLAN management, route server configuration, and participant administration, accessible at ixpmgr.micemn.net.
• Looking Glass Public web-based interface for viewing routing information and route server BGP data, available without login at ixpmgr.micemn.net/lg.
• Traffic Statistics and Graphing Cacti-based traffic graphing system for monitoring exchange traffic levels across participant ports and overall exchange utilization.
• Mailing Lists Community communication infrastructure including MICE-DISCUSS for technical and governance discussions, and MICE-ANNOUNCE for member meeting notices, fee changes, and board elections.

Quantifiable outcome

• FlexNetworks doubled capacity to support cloud and content traffic across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, past_core and minor.

• Cologix (was: FWR Communications)coreOthers · 29 July 2010Donated space and power in The Minnesota Gateway (the '511 building') in downtown Minneapolis. Currently provides ongoing space and power services. Contact for cross-connects to MICE core switches.
• University of MinnesotamajorOthersDonated 7500R Switch, 100G Line Card. Provides venue for user group meetings (UG 50).
• Hurricane ElectricmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Reid Fishler serves on MICE board (2024-2027). Provided legal fees for entity formation. Major network participant.
• Arista NetworksmajorOthersArranged 7500R Switch, 100G and Two 10G Line Cards contribution. Provided spare optics loan.
• Paul Bunyan CommunicationsmajorOthersProvides email services. Donated switching hardware, DNS services, and logo artwork.
• Nuvera CommunicationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficer (Anthony Anderberg - Treasurer/Secretary), technical committee member. Donated Cisco 4948 Switch, redundant power supply for EX4500, and provides traffic graphing.
• Wikstrom Telephone Company (Wiktel)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficer (Richard Laager - Chief Manager/President), technical committee member. Provides Juniper service contract.
• US Internet (USI)majorOthersProvides bandwidth service and Cisco Looking Glass Router. Hosts MICE Looking Glass (micelg.usinternet.com) and traffic graphing. Contact for Ridgeview datacenter cross-connects.
• Minnesota VoIPcoreOthersTechnical committee member (Jeremy Lumby). Donated cash, redundant power supplies, Looking Glass Router, optics, and DAC cables.
• ipHousepast_coreOthersPast provider of mailing lists, bandwidth, DNS, and web hosting. Donated Cisco 4500 Ethernet Switch and route server hardware. Hosted website originally.
• Juniper NetworksmajorOthersDonated EX4200-24T Switch. Provided special pricing on switches for core infrastructure upgrade.
• Cooperative Network Servicespast_coreOthersDonated Cisco 3560 Ethernet Switch. Hosts remote switch (CNS switch) at their facility.
• Mankato Networkspast_coreOthersPaying state LLC filing fees. Founders Jay Hanke and Steve Howard organized initial formation meetings. Jay Hanke served on original steering committee.
• RidgeviewcoreOthersProvides space and power at Ridgeview datacenter for MICE remote switch.
• Arcustechpast_coreOthersProvided web hosting (past contribution) and route server hardware.
• IntegrisminorOthersDonated EX4200-24T Switch.
• Arvig MultiWAV (was: MDU Ethernet)minorOthersProvided website redesign contribution.
• Nexstar Digital (was: LAKANA)minorOthersDonated two PDUs.
• WIN Technology (was: Wisconsin Independent Networks)minorOthersDonated address space.
• DataLight Optics / Choice IT GlobalminorOthersDonated ten 10G-LR optics.
• South Front NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Peering Coordinator (Jason Hanke) and web committee member. Operates peering coordination and website maintenance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Equinix Internet Exchange: Equinix operates one of the world's largest IXP fabrics across its global colocation footprint, enabling bilateral peering among thousands of networks. It is a broader incumbent offering interconnection beyond a single regional exchange, but the same fundamental Layer-2 peering product that MICE provides.
• Digital Realty Internet Exchange: Digital Realty offers carrier-neutral interconnection services and Internet Exchange fabrics in its data centers globally, including peering fabric similar to MICE's core offering. A much larger incumbent with similar Layer-2 exchange product lines.
• DE-CIX: DE-CIX is a global IXP operator running exchange points in multiple cities worldwide (including in North America) with route servers, peering LANs, and value-added services. Comparable to MICE in core offering (Layer-2 peering fabric with route servers), but operating at vastly larger scale and geographic breadth.
• CoreSite (Any2) Open IX Exchange: CoreSite operates the Any2 Internet Exchange across multiple US data centers, providing Layer-2 peering to networks. Operates a similar peering-fabric product as MICE but as a commercial incumbent integrated with colocation services.
• AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange): AMS-IX operates one of the largest neutral IXPs globally, with locations in Europe, Africa, and the US, offering route server-based peering. It is functionally identical to MICE for the peering service it sells, but as a multi-region incumbent rather than a single-metro cooperative.

Direct peers

• Seattle Internet Exchange (SIX): SIX is a non-profit, community-run regional IXP in the Pacific Northwest that provides Layer-2 peering, route servers, and community governance much like MICE. It is the closest analogue in the US: a regional cooperative-style exchange for ISPs and content networks.
• Ohio Internet Exchange (OhioIX): OhioIX is a volunteer-run regional IXP serving networks in Ohio with free or low-cost peering. Direct peer in scale and community operation model, comparable as another US regional cooperative exchange.
• Tallahassee Internet Exchange (TALIX): TALIX is a small, community-supported regional IXP providing peering among local ISPs and research networks. Comparable in scale, cooperative-style operations, and target member profile as MICE.
• Denver Internet Exchange (IX-Denver): IX-Denver is a community-supported regional IXP serving ISPs and content providers in Colorado. Directly comparable to MICE as a smaller-scale, regionally focused exchange point with similar community-driven governance.
• Phoenix Internet Exchange (Phoenix-IX): Phoenix-IX is a community-run IXP in Arizona offering Layer-2 peering to regional networks and content providers. Same product category and cooperative-style governance as MICE, in another US metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/rlaager/mice-website
• Facebookfacebook.com/MNMICE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/micemn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange