BubbleRAN
BubbleRAN is a French cloud-native Open RAN software company, founded in 2021, that builds AI-driven 4G/5G network platforms and developer kits for telecom R&D labs, universities, and enterprises deploying private industrial 5G networks across maritime, military, and Industry 4.0 use cases.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSophia Antipolis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What BubbleRAN does
BubbleRAN is a French private software company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Sophia Antipolis (Biot), with strategic bases in California (USA) and Nairobi (Kenya). The company builds cloud-native, multi-vendor O-RAN software for private 4G/5G networks, covering the full network lifecycle from R&D and prototyping through production deployment and AI-driven optimization. Its stack is fully implemented in-house and spans Near-RT and Non-RT RAN Intelligent Controllers (RIC-Sphere), Service Management and Orchestration (SMO-Sphere), an agentic AI optimization layer (Opti-Sphere), a network digital twin (MX-DT), and a production private 5G product (5G-Sphere). The architecture runs on Kubernetes Operator patterns with declarative intent-driven automation and supports both open-source stacks (OpenAirInterface, srsRAN, Open5GS) and industrial-grade stacks (Amarisoft, LITEON) concurrently across terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.
The company organizes its offering into two product families: the MX family for R&D (MX-PDK, MX-AI, MX-DT — perpetual licenses priced at €19,900 with paid annual support tiers) and the Sphere family for production (5G-Sphere from €9,900 starter subscription per site, with Opti-Sphere, AMARI-Sphere, SMO-Sphere, and RIC-Sphere priced on request for tailored enterprise deployments). The MX-AI product introduces the in-house Agentic Toolkit (BAT) and Large Telecom Models (LTMs) built on NVIDIA NeMo and NIM microservices. BubbleRAN also operates TelcoFabric, an open ecosystem portal for telecom artifacts (xApps, rApps, AI agents, datasets, benchmarks, blueprints) with a B-Labs membership program for validation. Customer references span European and Asian universities and research institutes (VTT, Khalifa University, King's College London, ETS Canada, SUTD, CNIT, CTTC) and enterprise/telecom players including Telenor, NVIDIA, Amarisoft, LITEON, Ericsson, and Orange. The company is led by founder Navid Nikaein (also a professor at Eurecom and co-founder of OpenAirInterface) and claims more than 100 enterprise and academic customers globally.
Go-to-market is primarily direct enterprise sales supplemented by self-serve developer evaluation and event-driven demand generation at major telecom conferences (MWC Barcelona stand 5D97, EUCNC & 6G Summit, MWC Doha). The company participates in multiple EU-funded research consortia — 6G-Cloud (€4M), 6G-Senses (€3.6M), MultiX-6G (€8.5M), CTIS4NIS (€2.5M), 5G-TACTIC (€2.6M), and INTENTION-6G (BPI France) — providing non-dilutive R&D funding. Revenue model combines one-time perpetual licenses, recurring subscriptions for Sphere products, and professional services. Headcount is approximately 9-15 with sales hiring underway for Q2-Q4 2026.
BubbleRAN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BubbleRAN
- Legal name
- BubbleRAN, SAS
- Website
- https://bubbleran.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BubbleRAN is a French cloud-native Open RAN software company, founded in 2021, that builds AI-driven 4G/5G network platforms and developer kits for telecom R&D labs, universities, and enterprises deploying private industrial 5G networks across maritime, military, and Industry 4.0 use cases.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BubbleRAN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecom Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (51321), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- vRAN & Open RAN Platforms (CU/DU, RIC, xApps/rApps) (HDAIAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Virtualized RAN & Open RAN (vRAN/O-RAN) (HDAFANAF), Private LTE/5G Network Operators & Managed Services (HDAIAGAA)
Keywords
Where BubbleRAN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sophia Antipolis
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
BubbleRAN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses (MX Product Family): One-time perpetual software licenses for MX-PDK, MX-AI, and MX-DT development kits. Includes 1 year of updates and support. Additional years of support available as paid add-ons. Licenses are non-transferable but customers can publish results and explore commercial applications.
- Software Subscriptions & Support (5G-Sphere): Annual software subscription for 5G-Sphere product with starter fee covering 1 site (small cell + core + server). Additional indoor/outdoor sites priced per unit. Includes Network Management System, software updates, technical support via dedicated chat channel, and extended hardware warranty options.
- Professional Services: On-site planning, installation, and training services. Custom solution scoping and tailored deployment packages for enterprise and industrial customers. Proof-of-concept and demonstration engagements.
- Academic Pricing & Tailored Packages: Discounted pricing for academic institutions. Custom bundles combining multiple products for specific use cases (e.g., university campus with 5G-Sphere for production + MX-PDK for R&D/teaching).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | MX-PDK Base License — 5G/6G O-RAN Platform & DevKit |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | MX-AI Base License — AI-RAN Platform & DevKit |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | MX-DT Base License — Network Digital Twin Platform & DevKit |
| Subscription | Annual | 5G-Sphere Starter — Industrial-Grade Private 5G (1 Site) |
| Subscription | Annual | Opti-Sphere — Agentic Network Optimization |
| Subscription | Annual | AMARI-Sphere — AI-Native 4G/5G RAN |
| Subscription | Annual | SMO-Sphere — O-RAN Service Management & Orchestration |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
BubbleRAN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BubbleRAN sells cloud-native, multi-vendor Open RAN (O-RAN) software that enables customers to build, customize, and operate private 4G/5G networks. Its product portfolio spans R&D prototyping platforms (MX-PDK, MX-AI, MX-DT), AI-driven optimization services (Opti-Sphere, AMARI-Sphere), orchestration and RAN intelligent controllers (SMO-Sphere, RIC-Sphere), and an industrial-grade production private 5G offering (5G-Sphere). Revenue is generated through software licenses, annual subscriptions, support, and professional services.
Product overview
BubbleRAN offers a multi-product portfolio organized into two families. The MX Product Family targets different stages of the network lifecycle: MX-PDK is the core 5G/6G O-RAN Platform and DevKit for R&D and prototyping; MX-AI is the AI-RAN Platform and DevKit built on MX-PDK with agentic workflows and a portfolio of xApps/rApps/AI-Agents for autonomous network operations and AI-driven optimization; MX-DT is the Network Digital Twin Platform and DevKit for realistic simulation, dataset generation, AI/ML validation, and what-if analysis. The Sphere Product Family provides layered automation and intelligence services that build on the MX platform: Opti-Sphere is an agentic network optimization system for live-network automated decision-making; AMARI-Sphere combines Amarisoft's 4G/5G stack with BubbleRAN's O-RAN SMO, RIC, and AI rApps; SMO-Sphere provides O-RAN Service Management and Orchestration with intent-driven declarative automation; RIC-Sphere delivers Near-RT and Non-RT RAN Intelligent Controllers with multivendor E2 support. 5G-Sphere is the production-ready, industrial-grade private 5G product for mission-critical deployments, built on the same core technology as the MX family.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TelcoFabric: World's first open intelligence automation portal for telco network artifacts including xApps, rApps, datasets, models, benchmarks, and use-case blueprints.
- Opti-Sphere
- AMARI-Sphere
- 5G-Sphere
- MX-PDK
- MX-AI
- MX-DT
- SMO-Sphere
- RIC-Sphere
- ECO-RAN
Products and services
- MX-PDK End-to-end 5G/6G O-RAN Platform and DevKit for R&D, prototyping, and innovation. Enables researchers and developers to explore use cases, build proof-of-concepts, and validate ideas in controlled environments. Features multivendor support for OpenAirInterface, srsRAN, Amarisoft, and LITEON with a cloud-native O-RAN stack including RIC, SMO, and xApp/rApp ecosystem.
- MX-AI AI-RAN Platform and DevKit providing Multi-X Automation and Intelligence Platform and open ecosystem built on MX-PDK with a portfolio of xApps/rApps/AI-Agents. Designed for agentic network operation and optimization, aligned with O-RAN, AI-FOR-RAN and AI-ON-RAN specifications.
- MX-DT Scalable end-to-end 5G/6G Network Digital Twin Platform and DevKit for realistic network simulation, dataset generation, AI/ML validation, and what-if analysis. Built with cloud-native Kubernetes-based architecture supporting selective replication, parallel digital twins, time awareness, and intent-driven automation.
- 5G-Sphere Industrial-grade private 5G product for production deployment in campus, maritime, airport, harbour, factories, and warehouses. Delivers a secure, reliable, and fully managed 5G network with 3GPP Release 16 compliance, zero-trust security, zero-touch automation, network slicing, and NMS-ready monitoring. Starter price €9,900 for 1 site including 5G R16 small cell, core network, and telco-grade server.
- Opti-Sphere First-of-its-kind agentic network optimization system that helps public and private 5G operators transition from isolated manual tuning to coordinated automated decision-making. Transforms live network data into actionable insights and applies pre-validated configuration changes through a real-time digital twin. Optimized for maritime networks, operations teams, network engineering, and automation programs.
- AMARI-Sphere Open AI-native 4G/5G RAN solution jointly developed with Amarisoft, combining Amarisoft's high-performance 4G/5G software stack with BubbleRAN's O-RAN SMO and RIC solutions enhanced with AI-powered rApps. Designed for labs, test and measurement, and production networks.
- SMO-Sphere O-RAN Service Management and Orchestration platform providing intelligent automation for test and measurement and production networks. Built on declarative intent-driven model with Kubernetes Operator pattern. Spans Day-0/1/2 lifecycle management across RAN, edge, and core with full FCAPS and observability.
- RIC-Sphere O-RAN Near-RT and Non-RT RAN Intelligent Controllers combining Non-RT RIC, Near-RT RIC, and Proxy-E2 Agent in one O-RAN-compliant platform. Supports R1AP, A1, E2AP v3.0, and key service models including KPM, RC, CCC, and LLC. Enables multivendor interoperability with OCUDU and OpenAirInterface.
- TelcoFabric Portal World's first open ecosystem portal for telco network intelligence and automation artifacts. Enables discovery, co-creation, collaboration, and publishing of reusable xApps, rApps, AI agents, datasets, benchmarks, and blueprints with B-Labs membership program for testing and validation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Time-to-prototype reduced from 3 weeks to 10 days (VTT customer)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use BubbleRAN
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BubbleRAN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability12 records
Feature12 records
BubbleRAN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- EricssoncoreBPI France INTENTION-6G project collaboration with Ericsson, Orange, and CentraleSupélec to minimize RAN energy consumption. Demo showcases intent-driven RAN automation powered by O-RAN-compliant rApps running across both Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP) and BubbleRAN SMO/RIC platforms. Green SLA and Premium SLA rApps demonstrate cross-platform interoperability.
- OrangecorePart of BPI France INTENTION-6G consortium with Ericsson, CentraleSupélec, and BubbleRAN to explore energy-efficient RAN automation for 5G/6G traffic. Contributes to shared objective of minimizing energy consumption while meeting traffic requirements.
- CentraleSupéleccorePart of BPI France INTENTION-6G consortium focused on intent-driven RAN automation and energy-efficient 5G/6G networks.
- NVIDIAcoreNVIDIA partners with BubbleRAN developing AI agents custom-built for the telco industry using NVIDIA NIM and NeMo microservices within the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform. NVIDIA powers the AI frameworks and agentic workflows for Opti-Sphere, with NVIDIA NeMo Agent Toolkit and NVIDIA/BubbleRAN telco config blueprint built on MX-AI. Announced at GTC global AI conference, March 2025.
- TelenorcoreBubbleRAN and Telenor Research & Innovation demonstrated world's first 5G intelligent network slicing empowered by NVIDIA AI Enterprise software for maritime communication. Telenor Maritime is the operational partner for the Opti-Sphere live-at-sea demo on Color Line vessels. Deep collaboration on AI-driven maritime 5G optimization.
- AmarisoftcoreAmarisoft's industrial 4G/5G software stack has been fully integrated into the BubbleRAN MX-PDK product family featuring BubbleRAN's cloud-native O-RAN stack with RIC, SMO, and xApp/rApp ecosystem. Amarisoft also provides fronthaul interface with LITEON 7.2 O-RU. Supports both FR1 and FR2. AMARI-Sphere is the joint AI-native 4G/5G RAN product for private networks.
- LITEON TechnologycoreLITEON 5G small-cell and O-RAN 7.2 O-RU technologies fully integrated into BubbleRAN MX-PDK product family. LITEON provides the critical infrastructure for the Opti-Sphere maritime demo. Partnership delivers plug-and-play, industrial-grade private 5G solution. BubbleRAN stand 5D97 and LITEON stand 5J53 at MWC Barcelona 2026.
- BenetelsupportingBenetel O-RU product families (RAN550 and RAN650) integrated into MX-PDK product offering telco-optimized O-Cloud infrastructure with auto-device discovery. Currently supports OpenAirInterface and srsRAN 5G stack with Benetel RUs.
- FibroLANsupportingFibroLAN time-aware O-RAN switching and PTP GM fully integrated into BubbleRAN O-Cloud and cloud-native 4G/5G platform to support synchronization plane of the 7.2 fronthaul interface and synchronization for time-critical applications.
- OpenAirInterfacesupportingOpenAirInterface open source 4G/5G stack fully integrated into BubbleRAN cloud-native O-RAN platform, extending it with 7.2 fronthaul interface, RIC, SMO, and xApp/rApp ecosystem. Divers deployment/split options possible. Supports both FR1 and FR2 with SDRs and commercial O-RUs.
- srsRANsupportingsrsRAN open source 4G/5G stack integrated into BubbleRAN cloud-native O-RAN platform, extending it with RIC, SMO, and xApp/rApp ecosystem. FR1 supported for srsRAN.
- Open5GSsupportingOpen5GS open source 4G/5G core network stack integrated into BubbleRAN cloud-native O-RAN platform, extending it with dynamic network slicing and analytics.
- 6G-Cloud (EU SNS JU Project)supportingEU HORIZON-JU-SNS-2023 funded project (€4M, 01/2024–06/2027). BubbleRAN leverages and extends MX-PDK to build 6G-Cloud PoC demonstrating AI-native service-oriented 5G+/6G system atop a cloud continuum. Focus on intelligent network service provisioning with O-RAN v2.0 real-time control fabric.
- 6G-Senses (EU SNS JU Project)supportingEU HORIZON-JU-SNS-2023 funded project (€3.6M, 01/2024–06/2026). Focus on integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), cell-free Massive MIMO, and RISs. BubbleRAN extends MX-PDK for O-RAN RIC-based sensing data integration.
- MultiX-6G (EU SNS JU Project)supportingEU HORIZON-JU-SNS funded project (€8.5M, 01/2025–06/2027). Develops MultiX fusion Perceptive 6G-RAN system for multi-sensor, multi-static, multi-band paradigm for 6G sensing. BubbleRAN designs intelligent 5G+ RAN automation and optimization methods enhanced by MultiX sensing data.
- CTIS4NIS (EU DIGITAL Project)supportingEU DIGITAL Europe Programme funded project (€2.5M, 01/2026–01/2029). Develops cybersecurity technologies for telecom infrastructures. BubbleRAN investigates and develops solutions for 5G/6G RAN network function security against data plane and control plane attacks.
- 5G-TACTIC (EU DIGITAL-ECCC Project)supportingEU DIGITAL-ECCC-2022-CYBER-03 funded project (€2.6M, 12/2023–01/2026). Develops 5G cybersecurity toolbox for profiling security holes in code, container, cluster, cloud dimensions and enforcing security profiles. BubbleRAN builds PoC at TRL 6-8.
- ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan)supportingLong-standing collaboration around ISAC topic in the form of joint demos, proof-of-concepts, and events. Joint demonstration of ISAC proof-of-concept at MWC. Collaborative panel on Global 6G Collaboration for Open, Intelligent, and Interoperable Innovation at EUCNC.
- AI-RAN AlliancesupportingBubbleRAN is an official member of the AI-RAN Alliance, contributing to advancing AI in RAN to unlock intelligent RAN automation and optimization. Collaboration with Telenor and NVIDIA on maritime AI-driven network slicing is the first joint contribution to the AI-RAN Alliance.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BubbleRAN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- JMA Wireless: JMA Wireless is an American vendor of private 5G/LTE and O-RAN solutions including the XRAN software platform and TEKO small cells. It competes with BubbleRAN in private 5G and O-RAN software stacks for enterprise, stadium, and industrial deployments.
- Athonet (HPE): Athonet is a private 4G/5G mobile core specialist now part of HPE, offering cloud-native core network solutions for enterprise private networks. It directly competes with BubbleRAN's 5G-Sphere and AMARI-Sphere offerings for private 5G deployments in mission-critical environments.
- Parallel Wireless: Parallel Wireless provides Open RAN solutions including macro and small cell, all-G (2G/3G/4G/5G) software, and a cloud-native orchestration platform. It is a direct competitor in private 5G and O-RAN software, particularly in emerging markets and rural deployments.
- Airspan Networks: Airspan provides Open RAN 4G/5G radio and software solutions for private networks, operators, and fixed wireless access. It directly competes with BubbleRAN in private 5G and Open RAN software, with overlapping customer bases in industrial and enterprise segments.
- Mavenir: Mavenir is a leading pure-play Open RAN software vendor offering cloud-native 4G/5G core, RAN, and RIC solutions targeting private networks and operators. It competes head-to-head with BubbleRAN across O-RAN stack components, private 5G deployments, and RIC/xApp/rApp development.
- Cohere Technologies: Cohere Technologies develops AI-based RAN optimization software including xApps for the O-RAN RIC and MU-MIMO scheduler innovations. It directly competes with BubbleRAN's Opti-Sphere and MX-AI offerings in the AI-RAN optimization category, targeting operator and private 5G deployments.
- Celona: Celona provides an enterprise private 5G platform (Celona Edge and Aerloc) with cloud-managed orchestration for industrial and enterprise customers. It competes with BubbleRAN in enterprise private 5G, with a focus on simplified deployment and managed service models.
Broad incumbents
- Nokia (AnyRAN): Nokia is a major incumbent RAN vendor offering AnyRAN, a cloud-native O-RAN-compliant solution for private and public 5G networks, along with its broader AirScale and Core portfolio. It competes with BubbleRAN across the full stack but with vastly larger scale and operator relationships.
- Ericsson: Ericsson is a leading incumbent RAN vendor with the Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP), cloud RAN portfolio, and ongoing O-RAN initiatives. It is both a BubbleRAN partner (INTENTION-6G) and competitor in O-RAN/AI-RAN automation, with dramatically larger resources and operator relationships.
Emerging players
- Accelleran: Accelleran is a small-cell and O-RAN software vendor providing a multi-RAT RAN Intelligent Controller and small cell portfolio. It overlaps with BubbleRAN in RIC software and O-RAN small cell solutions for private networks and neutral host use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BubbleRAN social profiles
Digital presenceBubbleRAN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BubbleRAN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
BubbleRAN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BubbleRAN 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 BubbleRAN
What does BubbleRAN do?
BubbleRAN sells cloud-native, multi-vendor Open RAN (O-RAN) software that enables customers to build, customize, and operate private 4G/5G networks. Its product portfolio spans R&D prototyping platforms (MX-PDK, MX-AI, MX-DT), AI-driven optimization services (Opti-Sphere, AMARI-Sphere), orchestration and RAN intelligent controllers (SMO-Sphere, RIC-Sphere), and an industrial-grade production private 5G offering (5G-Sphere). Revenue is generated through software licenses, annual subscriptions, support, and professional services.
Is BubbleRAN a public or private company?
BubbleRAN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BubbleRAN founded?
BubbleRAN was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BubbleRAN based?
BubbleRAN is headquartered in Sophia Antipolis, France, in the Europe region.
How does BubbleRAN make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses (MX Product Family) is the primary driver. The others are software Subscriptions & Support (5G-Sphere), professional Services and academic Pricing & Tailored Packages.
Who are BubbleRAN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are JMA Wireless, Athonet (HPE), Parallel Wireless, Airspan Networks, Mavenir, Cohere Technologies and Celona. Broad incumbents are Nokia (AnyRAN) and Ericsson. Accelleran is listed as an emerging player.
Does BubbleRAN have an API?
Yes. BubbleRAN provides a REST API accessible through the API Reference documentation (docs/category/apis-reference/). The API includes Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) for Network, Terminal, Composition Models, Elements, PolicyJob, MonitoringJob, and DynamicxApp, organized under Athena Types and Odin Types. CLI access is available via the 'brc' command-line tool. xApp and rApp SDKs are available in Python and C. The platform also exposes Kubernetes APIs for network automation and orchestration. Developer documentation is at bubbleran.com/docs/api.
What industry is BubbleRAN in?
BubbleRAN's product category is Telecom Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAIAA, vRAN & Open RAN Platforms (CU/DU, RIC, xApps/rApps), with a secondary code of HDAFANAF, Virtualized RAN & Open RAN (vRAN/O-RAN). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.