netElastic provides software-based networking solutions for internet service providers, with core products including virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG), Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT), and the netVision network management system. The company focuses on combining carrier-grade networking performance with software flexibility, programmability, and lower infrastructure costs. Pulse 2.0 interviewed netElastic CEO and CTO Weixiao Liu to learn more.
Weixiao Liu’s Background
When asked about his background, Liu shared:
I’ve always been a hands-on person. I grew up on a farm in Northern China, where I learned the value of a simple, practical way of life, principles that have stayed with me ever since.
After earning my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia, I’ve been fortunate to work in roles where I could bridge theory and practical product development that improves everyday life.
At netElastic, I remain closely involved in engineering, product development, and customer support, which puts me in the best position to translate customer requirements and requests into features and enhancements that help networks perform better every day.
Primary Responsibilities
When asked about his primary responsibilities, Liu explained:
I spend most of my time overseeing engineering and product development, as well as working closely with customers to understand their successes and pain points.
These insights help guide our product direction and ensure we continue to innovate with solutions that not only meet customer needs, but also help them scale their networks and improve operational efficiency.
Favorite Customer Moments
When asked about his favorite memory working for the company so far, Liu said:
My favorite moments are when I receive calls or thank-you notes from customers sharing how our products have helped them scale their networks, operate more efficiently, increase automation, and improve customer satisfaction.
Those moments remind me that we are making a meaningful impact, and that all the hard work and relentless pursuit of excellence in our products and support truly pay off.
Core Products And Features
When asked about netElastic’s core products and features, Liu detailed:
We offer two core products: vBNG and CGNAT. Our vBNG platform delivers advanced subscriber management with unmatched flexibility and programmability, while rivaling hardware-based performance.
Our CGNAT solution extends limited IPv4 address space by up to 100x, ensuring regulatory compliance without compromising customer experience.
Complementing these is netVision, a GUI-based system that makes network management simple and intuitive. For ISPs that prioritize performance, cost savings, and expert support, netElastic stands out as the clear choice.
Overcoming Software Router Perceptions
When asked about challenges in the sector and how netElastic has addressed them, Liu noted:
Our biggest challenge has been overcoming the perception that software routers are weak or unreliable.
While trust takes time and a proven track record, we’ve addressed this by consistently demonstrating the strength and value of our solution, winning customers one at a time.
Today, over 50% of our business comes from word of mouth, a testament to the results our customers achieve and their willingness to recommend us.
Technology Evolution
When asked how netElastic’s technology has evolved since launching, Liu explained:
Since launch, our products have evolved significantly and are now widely adopted by our customers, driven by our commitment to listening closely to their needs.
We have expanded support for new access methods, significantly enhanced NAT performance and routing capabilities, and resolved longstanding challenges, including those affecting the broader open-source community, to deliver a level of stability we are proud of.
Major Company Milestones
When asked about some of netElastic’s most significant milestones, Liu highlighted:
From acquiring our first customer to now serving over 300 customers worldwide, we have achieved several important milestones, including 1,000 days of uptime and 1 terabit of throughput in a single router instance.
Over the past three years, we have also delivered more than 20 router releases, each introducing new features and enhancements.
Funding And Revenue
When asked about funding and revenue metrics, Liu shared:
I’m pleased to report that we are self-funded and financially strong, enabling us to stay focused on building great products and better serving our customers.
We recently delivered a record quarter in booked revenue and continue to see steady growth as our industry presence expands.
Market Opportunity
When discussing the total addressable market netElastic is pursuing, Liu explained:
netElastic competes in the networking market for Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) and Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) solutions, which has traditionally been led by hardware-centric vendors such as Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, and A10 Networks.
Based on industry estimates, the combined BNG and CGNAT market represents a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, generally understood to be in the range of approximately $5 billion to $10 billion annually.
There is a real need for software networking to compete alongside traditional hardware. The software networking market is currently not served well by existing market leaders because upgrades aren’t as profitable as new boxes.
We are trying to be influential in this software networking market. If you have networks that need upgrading or are pricing out new systems with current off-the-shelf hardware, we cost 70 – 90% less than Juniper and Cisco.
Customer Success Stories
When asked about specific customer success stories, Liu shared:
Our global ISP customers consistently report significant business impact and cost savings. For example:
- FullFibre achieved a 40% cost reduction over three years by returning excess IPv4 addresses.
- Rocket Fibre reported over 80% power savings compared to Juniper.
- MUENET reduced hardware and licensing costs by 83% versus traditional vendors like Juniper.
- SUMOFIBER found that netElastic CGNAT delivered the performance they needed at a much better price point than vendors like A10.
FullFibre recently received coverage for their OPEX reduction story with netElastic in ISPreview. FullFibre Limited Solves IPv4 Shortage With netElastic BNG And CGNAT – ISPreview UK
Competitive Differentiation
When asked what differentiates netElastic from its competition, Liu emphasized:
Our close collaboration with Intel places us in a unique position to consistently convert the latest technical innovations into practical software-based routing solutions.
Our team combines highly skilled engineers and seasoned networking veterans who are passionate about both the technology and the success of our customers.
Future Goals
When discussing netElastic’s future goals, Liu concluded:
Our goal is to continue leading innovation in software routing. We believe our software router extends beyond ISPs to serve a broader audience, and we are actively exploring new product offerings to reach a wider market.
netElastic software is carrier-grade networking because, when it comes to networks, speed matters.
