One of the quietest well-funded tech companies in Boston has just become even better-endowed.
Billerica's Benu Networks announced Wednesday it has added $27.7 million in funding to expand its business, which is focused on next-generation Wi-Fi and cloud technologies. Investors included returning backer Spark Capital of Boston, whose co-founder Todd Dagres is on the board.
The company has now raised at least $54.3 million since its founding in 2010.
Though it's operated largely below the radar, Benu is among those looking to follow in the footsteps of Boston-area networking technology success stories such as Starent Networks and Acme Packet.
To help do that, Benu Networks has now brought on an Acme Packet veteran to lead the company. The company says Dino Di Palma, who'd been COO at Acme Packet prior to its $2.1 billion acquisition by Oracle Corporation in 2013, will serve as its new CEO.
As for what Benu does, I described it this way in June:
The Billerica company’s initial focus has been enabling “community Wi-Fi” networks. That’s where a customer who opts in can get Wi-Fi anywhere, as long as another customer who has opted in is nearby. Next for Benu is allowing customers to access content they previously could get only in their homes — from a DVR,or from Apple TV or Roku streaming services — anywhere they go, on their laptop or mobile device. So customers would have a virtual version of their entire home technology system anywhere they went.
Benu's most recent funding had been a $26.6 million Series B round about a year ago. While it's kept a low profile, it's also managed to grow significantly on headcount; I spoke with business development exec John DePietro for my June article, and he told me the company employed nearly 200 at the time.
Along with Spark—which has gained notoriety for investments such as Twitter and Wayfair—Benu's new round of funding also included Liberty Global Ventures and Arris Group, along with returning investors Sutter Hill Ventures and Comcast Ventures.
