F5 Networks is an American company that provides multi-cloud application services and solutions. The company was founded in 1996 by Jeffrey Hussey and Alan J. Higginson in Seattle, Washington, and is currently headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company has over 6,000 employees across 50 countries worldwide. F5 Networks offers a range of products and services, including application delivery controllers, security solutions, cloud services, and other related technologies.
F5 Networks’ flagship product is its BIG-IP platform, which provides application delivery services, such as load balancing, application security, and traffic management. The platform is designed to help organizations optimize their applications and services, improve their user experience, and reduce costs. Additionally, the company offers other products and solutions that help organizations manage and secure their applications in multi-cloud environments.
F5 Networks went public in June 1999, with its initial public offering (IPO) on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol FFIV. The IPO raised $83.3 million, which the company used to expand its product portfolio, invest in research and development, and fund its growth. Since going public, F5 Networks has continued to grow through acquisitions and strategic partnerships. In 2019, the company acquired NGINX, an open source web server and load balancer, for $670 million.
F5 Networks serves a variety of customers across different industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, and technology. Some of its notable customers include Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and the US Department of Defense. The company has been recognized for its innovation and leadership in the technology industry, winning numerous awards and accolades, including being named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Application Delivery Controllers.