Irvine-based Zadara has a new leader eager to revamp the way companies rely on the cloud for their computing needs.
The edge cloud company, which handles a full array of computer storage, networking and related activities, has appointed industry veteran Yoram Novick as its new CEO and president.
He succeeds co-founder Nelson Nahum, who has moved to the role of chief technology officer and chairman.
Novick told the Business Journal on April 19, shortly after his appointment was announced, that the “centralized model” grouping cloud services into a small number of large centers “is not good for all use cases.”
“Zadara is going after those challenges by having a different cloud model,” Novick said.
“Rather than having a centralized model, we have the edge cloud model. We enable you to deploy clouds in any way you want.”
Cloud Terminology
The terminology for the cloud—which relies on computing resources over the internet—can be confusing.
Intel Corp., for example, says that “typically, cloud services run on large-scale data centers.”
Edge clouds like those operated by Zadara are more agile and faster.
“Edge clouds are hosted by micro-data centers that store, analyze, and process data faster than is possible using a connection to a data center,” Intel says.
The edge cloud is changing the way organizations manage data, by offering high performance, low latency, activities grouped under the term “compute,” networking and storage where it is needed most, as close as necessary to where data is generated and consumed.
“My short-term goal is to continue to solidify Zadara as the edge cloud leader. Long term, it’s to challenge the centralized model,” Novick says.
Novick says the current cloud model “is centralized to a fault,” which introduces challenges like “performance, lack of digital sovereignty, security, and high, sometimes unpredictable costs.”
Irvine Time
Novick has served as founder, CEO, and/or former board member and adviser to a variety of technology companies such as Topio, Maxta, Storwize, Druva and Kapow.
He will still be based in Northern California, but will spend a “significant amount of time” in Irvine.
Venture capital-backed Zadara reached “EBITDA positive” status as of last year, signaling overall business and financial strength. Novick said Zadara is aiming for profitability “soon.”
Business information provider Datanyze estimates Zadara’s revenue at $41 million, though there are varying estimates elsewhere.
Reports put the company’s funding totals over $60 million, including a $25 million round in 2018.
Companywide Zadara has 200 employees, and had six open positions posted on its website as of April 21.
The company says it’s currently deploying a cloud every week and will soon offer an edge cloud location near every major city in the world powered by its partner network.
Its more than 500 clouds span across 24 countries, with the largest concentration found in the U.S., followed by Japan, the U.K., the Philippines, Israel and Brazil.
Zadara says it will continue its growth in 2023.
The company acquired former Stratoscale IP and NeoKarm Edge Cloud technology in 2021. Earlier this year, Zadara acquired Brazilian technology provider ZVS as it continues its expansion into Latin America.
Worldwide Reach
In addition to the headquarters at 6 Venture in Irvine, Zadara has locations in the town of Cirencester in the U.K., Tokyo, Tel Aviv and Yokneam in Israel, Bangalore and Brazil.
Zadara operations include clouds in hundreds of data centers at public- and private-cloud partners, with an expert team that provides “follow-the-sun” services.
