# Affirmed Networks
Affirmed Networks, Inc. was a Massachusetts telecommunications software company, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Acton, that sold cloud-native, fully virtualized mobile core network software to telecom operators; it was acquired by Microsoft, which completed the purchase on April 23, 2020, at a reported value of about $1.35 billion.[1](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/) • [2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html)
| Fact | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Founded | 2010, Delaware corporation, headquartered at 35 Nagog Park, Acton, Massachusetts[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-13-000002.txt) |
| Sector | Cloud-native virtualized mobile core (vEPC and 5G core) software[4](https://www.affirmednetworks.com/pdfs/affirmed-networks-company-overview.pdf/) |
| Capital raised | $100,803,914 sold across five SEC Form D offerings (2010–2019); press figures range from $155 million to about $240 million[5](https://www.dealdata.net/company-profile/0001493469/) • [6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure) • [2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html) |
| Notable investors | Qualcomm Ventures, Centerview Capital Technology Management, Eastward Capital Partners[2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html) • [6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure) |
| Claimed traction | 100+ customer deployments in 89 countries; up to 71% total cost of ownership savings (company claims)[4](https://www.affirmednetworks.com/pdfs/affirmed-networks-company-overview.pdf/) |
| Outcome | Acquired by Microsoft; agreement announced March 26, 2020, completed April 23, 2020, at a reported ~$1.35 billion valuation[1](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/) • [2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html) |
## What Affirmed Networks did
Affirmed Networks sold software that replaced the mobile core, the central control layer of a cellular network, with code that runs on ordinary data-center hardware. Its main product was a virtualized [Evolved Packet Core](https://www.edgepedia.org/evolved-packet-core) (vEPC), the software-based version of the packet core that in 4G networks had traditionally run on purpose-built equipment from large network equipment vendors.[4](https://www.affirmednetworks.com/pdfs/affirmed-networks-company-overview.pdf/) The company said its platform was completely built on software and could be deployed on any industry off-the-shelf hardware, with an open network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) intended to eliminate vendor lock-in.[4](https://www.affirmednetworks.com/pdfs/affirmed-networks-company-overview.pdf/)
The distinction from the traditional EPC was architectural: instead of proprietary appliances, functions ran as software workloads that operators could scale and reposition, including in the cloud. Microsoft, announcing the acquisition, said Affirmed's fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network solutions let operators simplify network operations, reduce costs, and rapidly create and launch new revenue-generating services, including managing network workloads in the cloud.[1](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/) CNBC described the offering as a way for carriers to grow networks to meet increasing demand by drawing on cloud infrastructure.[7](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/microsoft-acquires-affirmed-networks-ahead-of-5g-deployments.html)
## Founding and founders
Affirmed Networks was incorporated in Delaware in 2010, with its headquarters at 35 Nagog Park in Acton, Massachusetts.[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-13-000002.txt) Its founding chief executive was Hassan Ahmed, who had previously guided Sonus Networks to an initial public offering and remained board chairman after stepping aside.[6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure) SEC filings from 2011 and 2013 list Harris Fishman as chief financial officer and treasurer, and Jon Auerbach, Timothy Barrows, and Robert Goodman as directors.[8](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-11-000002.txt) • [3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-13-000002.txt)
A notable leadership change came at the very end of the company's independent life. Less than 24 hours before Microsoft's acquisition announcement on March 26, 2020, Affirmed installed Anand Krishnamurthy, a co-founder who had joined in 2010 as vice president of engineering, as chief executive, replacing Ahmed.[6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure) The Boston Globe reported the same replacement on the day of the announcement.[2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html)
## Funding and investors
The company's SEC Form D filings record five Rule 506 offerings totaling $100,803,914 sold: $10,885,000 (June 9, 2010), $1,700,010 (December 22, 2010), $1,400,002 (August 5, 2011), $48,800,010 (May 22, 2013), and $38,018,892 (February 1, 2019).[5](https://www.dealdata.net/company-profile/0001493469/) The 2013 round alone, at $48.8 million sold, accounted for nearly half of the disclosed total.[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-13-000002.txt)
Press totals are higher and differ among themselves. Light Reading reported about $155 million raised across six venture rounds from investors including Centerview Capital, Qualcomm, and Eastward Capital Partners, a figure [TechCrunch](https://www.edgepedia.org/techcrunch) repeated citing Crunchbase.[6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure) • [9](https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/26/microsoft-acquires-5g-specialist-affirmed-networks/) [The Boston Globe](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-boston-globe), citing PitchBook Data, reported about $240 million raised in total.[2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html)
According to the Boston Globe, Affirmed raised financing in February 2020, weeks before the acquisition announcement, at a $1.35 billion valuation.[2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html)
## Customers and competitive position
Affirmed claimed more than 100 mobile network operator customers, including AT&T, Orange, Vodafone, and Telus, according to its website as reported by Light Reading; TechCrunch added Turkcell and STC to the list.[6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure) • [9](https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/26/microsoft-acquires-5g-specialist-affirmed-networks/) The company's own overview claimed 100+ customer deployments in 89 countries and service providers achieving as much as 71% in total cost of ownership savings; it also stated its web-scale model operated at 70% of the cost of traditional networks. These traction and savings figures are company claims.[4](https://www.affirmednetworks.com/pdfs/affirmed-networks-company-overview.pdf/)
At the time of acquisition, Light Reading identified Affirmed's main rivals as Ericsson, Cisco, and Mavenir, with Amazon's AWS also pushing into the mobile realm; it framed Microsoft's purchase as positioning the company to challenge those mobile software vendors directly.[6](https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure)
## The Microsoft acquisition
Microsoft announced a definitive agreement to acquire Affirmed Networks on March 26, 2020, framing the deal around the industry shift from purpose-built hardware network generations to software-based 5G cores running on cloud platforms such as Azure.[1](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/) Microsoft did not disclose the financial terms; the Boston Globe reported the deal valued the company at about $1.35 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, matching the valuation of Affirmed's February 2020 financing round.[2](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html) Microsoft completed the acquisition on April 23, 2020, as confirmed in updates by both Microsoft and Affirmed.[1](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/) • [10](https://www.affirmednetworks.com/microsoft-has-signed-a-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks/)
## Status and outcome
With completion of the acquisition in April 2020, Affirmed Networks ceased to exist as an independent vendor, roughly ten years after its founding.[1](https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/)
## References
1. Microsoft announces agreement to acquire Affirmed Networks (Official Microsoft Blog), https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/03/26/microsoft-announces-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks-to-deliver-new-opportunities-for-a-global-5g-ecosystem/
2. Microsoft deal values Affirmed Networks at $1.35 billion (The Boston Globe), https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2020/03/27/microsoft-deal-values-affirmed-networks-billion/BMHEGbQWDvBVST1sLQplVK/story.html
3. SEC Form D, Affirmed Networks, Inc. (filed June 5, 2013), https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-13-000002.txt
4. Affirmed Networks Company Overview (company white paper), https://www.affirmednetworks.com/pdfs/affirmed-networks-company-overview.pdf/
5. Affirmed Networks, Inc. Form D offering record (CIK 0001493469), https://www.dealdata.net/company-profile/0001493469/
6. With Affirmed Networks purchase, Microsoft looks to plug 5G into Azure (Light Reading), https://www.lightreading.com/virtualization/with-affirmed-networks-purchase-microsoft-looks-to-plug-5g-into-azure
7. Microsoft acquires Affirmed Networks ahead of 5G deployments (CNBC), https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/microsoft-acquires-affirmed-networks-ahead-of-5g-deployments.html
8. SEC Form D, Affirmed Networks, Inc. (filed August 11, 2011), https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1493469/0001493469-11-000002.txt
9. Microsoft acquires 5G specialist Affirmed Networks (TechCrunch), https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/26/microsoft-acquires-5g-specialist-affirmed-networks/
10. Microsoft has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Affirmed Networks (Affirmed Networks), https://www.affirmednetworks.com/microsoft-has-signed-a-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-affirmed-networks/
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
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