BigBand Networks. A Cedar Pre-Seed®. 

 

IPO NASDAQ: BBND. Acquired by Arris Group (ARRS)

BigBand provides broadband service providers with innovative network solutions designed to make it easier to move, manage and monetize video. These solutions are based on BigBand’s switching platforms that are built to enable efficient and reliable delivery of video, voice and data across a wide range of services.  The heart of the system included an award winning real time video switch.  This switch enables narrowcasting channels in real time to a segment of households, rather than broadcast all the channels to all the users.  The massive savings in bandwidth and faster zapping response time coupled with first to market this breakthrough technology, created the leader in the field.

 

The Story Behind BigBand 

Cedar helped found BigBand in 1999 with a Pre-Seed® investment. Cedar was approached by the two founders, Amir Bassan-Eskenazi and Ran Oz, who at the time had only a general idea of the area they wanted to focus on. Cedar was impressed with the founders and made a small investment geared to fund a process to come up with a Killer Application. 

 

During the Pre-Seed® period, Cedar worked with the Founders in their quest to find the right application and to develop a business plan. The result of this initial effort was the broadband multimedia router that enabled switched broadcast of video. This was the first product of its kind and based on its strength, BigBand was able to penetrate the top cable companies in the U.S. 

 

BigBand executed on its vision and achieved $176 million in sales in 2007. The company had a global customer base of more than 100 cable operators and telephone companies.  

 

When asked to summarize his experience working with Cedar, Mr. Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, CEO, President & Co-founder, BigBand Networks, says “Business strategy and technology may change from time to time. Partners and investors don't. It's important for entrepreneurs to pick investors who can see the big picture and can effectively participate and contribute to strategic decisions. Cedar is such an investor.” 

 

Both founders are now leading new startups funded by Cedar:

Amir Bassan Eskenazi, founder and CEO of Pixie

Ran Oz, founder and CTO of Wochit

Cedar Board: Gal Israely