Profile

Fastly is an American cloud computing service provider that offers edge computing, content delivery, and cloud security services. It was founded in 2011 by Artur Bergman and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company’s edge cloud platform delivers faster, safer, and more scalable sites and apps to customers. 

Fastly’s unique signal-based approach ensures only unwanted activity is blocked, never your users. It delivers various digital experiences to its customers within the application and API realms. Fastly’s network is designed to enable customers to deliver superior web and mobile experiences. The company aims to shorten the distance between internet users and web content by optimizing the efficiency of the internet by reducing buffering, improving app and website performance, and reducing load times. 

With Fastly’s powerful edge cloud platform, developers get the tools they need to build the most groundbreaking apps which are all optimized for speed, security, and scale so businesses can effectively transform to compete in today’s markets. The company has been named a Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for the past four years in a row.

Since its founding in 2011, Fastly has grown rapidly and has received significant investment from top-tier venture capital firms. The company has over 2,000 employees across the globe and serves customers in over 60 countries. Fastly’s impressive growth and global presence have made it a leader in the CDN industry, and it continues to attract top talent and investment from around the world. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, Fastly is poised for continued success in the years to come.

Key Products

Edge Cloud Platform

The Edge Cloud Platform provides a scalable and secure infrastructure for delivering digital experiences. By bringing computing resources closer to end-users, it enables faster content delivery, reduced latency, and improved reliability.

Compute@Edge

Fastly’s Compute@Edge allows developers to run their code at the edge of the network, enabling real-time processing and personalized content delivery. With Compute@Edge, businesses can enhance user experiences, implement dynamic configurations, and leverage edge intelligence for faster decision-making.

CDN (Content Delivery Network)

Fastly’s CDN is a robust network of servers strategically placed worldwide, designed to efficiently distribute content and deliver it to end-users with optimal speed and performance. It helps reduce latency, improves website loading times, and ensures a smooth and reliable digital experience.

Load Balancing

The Load Balancing feature optimizes the distribution of incoming network traffic across multiple servers, ensuring high availability and preventing overload. It helps businesses maintain consistent performance during traffic spikes, improving overall reliability and user experience.

Image Optimization

The Image Optimization technology automatically optimizes images on the fly, reducing file sizes while preserving visual quality. This leads to faster load times, reduced bandwidth usage, and improved website performance, particularly for image-heavy applications.

Next-Gen WAF (Web Application Firewall)

Fastly’s Next-Gen WAF provides advanced protection against web application attacks, including SQL injections, cross-site scripting, and other common security threats. It helps businesses safeguard their web applications and data, ensuring robust security for their digital assets.

Bot Protection

Fastly’s Bot Protection technology helps businesses detect and mitigate automated bot traffic, ensuring that genuine users can access resources without disruption. It protects against web scraping, account takeover attempts, and other malicious bot activities, improving the overall security and reliability of online services.

DDoS Mitigation

Fastly’s DDoS Mitigation service helps businesses defend against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which can cripple websites and online services. It leverages advanced traffic analysis and mitigation techniques to identify and block malicious traffic, ensuring uninterrupted availability and performance.

Real-time Logging

The Real-time Logging enables businesses to gain instant visibility into their edge traffic, allowing them to monitor and analyze events as they occur. It provides real-time access to detailed logs, enabling timely troubleshooting, security analysis, and performance optimization.

Metrics

The Metrics feature provides valuable insights into the performance and usage of digital assets delivered through the platform. It offers comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing businesses to monitor key metrics, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to enhance their digital experiences.

Customer Insights

The company has garnered positive customer insights, as evidenced by reviews on G2 and Capterra. On G2, Fastly’s CDN has received an impressive average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars based on user reviews. Customers appreciate the platform’s exceptional performance, reliability, and scalability, highlighting its ability to deliver content quickly and seamlessly. The ease of use and robust features offered by Fastly are consistently mentioned as major strengths, allowing businesses to efficiently manage and optimize their content delivery.

Similarly, on Capterra, Fastly’s CDN has received favorable ratings and reviews from customers. Users appreciate the platform’s reliability, speed, and advanced caching capabilities. The ability to easily integrate with other systems and the comprehensive reporting and analytics features have also been praised. With an overall high rating, Fastly stands out as a trusted choice among businesses seeking a reliable and efficient CDN solution. Fastly’s impressive customer base further reflects its effectiveness in meeting diverse business needs. The company serves a wide range of customers across industries, including prominent brands such as Shopify, GitHub, and The New York Times. This demonstrates Fastly’s ability to provide scalable and tailored CDN solutions to businesses of all sizes.

These positive customer insights reaffirm Fastly’s reputation as a reliable and innovative CDN provider. The consistently high ratings on G2 and Capterra, along with a strong customer base, underline Fastly’s commitment to delivering exceptional performance, reliability, and advanced features to empower businesses to deliver fast and seamless digital experiences to their audiences.

Statistics

• Acquisitions: 4


• Investors: 15


• Employees: 2,000


• Offices: 6


• Customer Satisfaction Score: >95% (as of June 1, 2022)


• Growth Rate: 22% (Q4- 2022)


• Total revenue: $119.3 million (Q4- 2022)


• Sequential growth: 10% (Q4- 2022)

Rating and Commentary

The company has experienced significant growth and is well-equipped to support its customers and develop innovative solutions in the rapidly evolving CDN market. Its successful IPO in 2019 marked a major step forward in the company’s growth and increased its visibility in the market. This milestone highlights Fastly’s ability to attract investors and build a strong foundation for future success.

Under the leadership of CEO Todd Nightingale, Fastly has achieved remarkable success. Nightingale’s strategic vision and expertise in technology and business strategy have played a crucial role in driving the company’s growth and maintaining its competitive edge. 

In the competitive CDN market, Fastly distinguishes itself by offering cutting-edge technology, a comprehensive feature set, and a strong focus on customer satisfaction. While competitors like Cloudflare exist, Fastly’s high ratings, industry recognition, and diverse customer base position it as a preferred choice for businesses seeking a reliable and advanced CDN solution.

Overall, Fastly’s impressive ratings, significant employee size, notable milestones, strong leadership, standout products, and competitive positioning underscore its success as a leading player in the CDN market.

Fastly's Video

Key Executives

Todd Nightingale, Chief Executive Officer, Director

He brings a wealth of leadership experience to his role with a strong background in technology and business strategy, he is responsible for driving the company’s overall vision and growth. Under his guidance, the company has seen significant expansion into new markets and the successful launch of innovative products.

Tyler McMullen, CTO

He leads the technology team with his exceptional technical expertise and strategic vision. With a focus on innovation and driving technical excellence, he oversees the development of cutting-edge solutions that empower our customers and maintain our competitive edge in the market. Tyler’s guidance has been instrumental in delivering high-quality products that exceed customer expectations.

Brett Shirk, Chief Revenue Officer

Brett serves the company by driving revenue generation strategies and ensuring sustainable business growth. With an extensive background in sales and marketing, he has successfully implemented customer-centric initiatives that have resulted in increased market share and improved customer satisfaction. Brett’s leadership has played a pivotal role in fostering strong partnerships and expanding our global reach.

Ron Kisling, Chief Financial Officer

Kisling’s expertise is integral to financial success and strategic decision-making. With a sharp focus on financial planning, analysis, and risk management, he has consistently delivered strong financial results while maintaining financial stability. Ron’s exceptional financial acumen and meticulous attention to detail contribute to our company’s overall financial health and long-term sustainability.

Organizational Insights

As a leading content delivery network (CDN) provider company has exceptional employee satisfaction. With a strong emphasis on innovation and collaboration, Fastly fosters a dynamic work environment that promotes creativity and growth. The company’s commitment to transparency and open communication has garnered positive reviews from employees, highlighting its inclusive culture and strong leadership. 

Fastly’s continued emphasis on providing top-notch solutions has cemented its position as a leading player in the CDN sector. Working at Fastly is meaningful and has a big impact, according to one Glassdoor review of the company. For the next five years, Fastly has a comprehensive plan and strategy. For its workplace culture, the company has a Glassdoor rating of 3.8 out of 5. 

The company prioritizes the well-being of its employees by providing generous parental leave and promoting a work culture that supports a healthy work-life balance throughout the year. They offer comprehensive health plans, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as disability insurance and mental health resources. Additionally, employees can benefit from retirement plans, stock purchasing options, and reimbursements for learning and development programs, demonstrating a commitment to their growth and success. The company also invests in employees’ learning through LinkedIn Learning programs, CEO advice, industry leader talks, and cultural events. They also value employee feedback through their Employee Experience Champion Network to continuously improve the workplace experience.

Overall, employees appreciate the open communication channels and transparency within the company. The working culture at Fastly is characterized by a strong sense of teamwork, innovation, and a commitment to excellence

Board Members

David Hornik

He brings extensive experience in venture capital and technology investments to Fastly’s board. As a partner at August Capital, he has a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem and has played a pivotal role in driving growth and innovation in the technology industry.

Sunil Dhaliwal

He is a highly regarded technology investor and entrepreneur. With his background as a general partner at Amplify Partners, he brings valuable insights into emerging technologies and strategic investments. His expertise in scaling companies and driving market expansion is a valuable asset for Fastly.

Christopher Paisley

Paisley’s extensive background in finance and corporate strategy adds significant value to Fastly’s board. Having served in various executive positions at major technology companies, he brings a wealth of knowledge in financial management and strategic planning, contributing to the company’s growth and profitability.

Kelly Wright

Her expertise lies in marketing and brand strategy. With her experience as Chief Marketing Officer at Tableau Software, she brings valuable insights into building and positioning a global brand. Her strategic guidance and marketing acumen play a crucial role in shaping Fastly’s market presence and driving customer engagement.

Investors

August Capital

A venture capital firm that invests in technology companies at all stages of development. They focus on companies building disruptive technologies in areas such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.

Iconiq Capital

A multi-family office that manages the wealth of some of the world’s wealthiest families. They also invest in technology companies, including Fastly. Iconiq has been associated with several high-profile technology companies, including Facebook and Airbnb.

O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures

A venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. They focus on companies building innovative technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

Sozo Ventures

A venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies in the US and Japan. They focus on companies building innovative technologies in areas such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.

Overall, Fastly has received funding from a diverse group of 15 investors with expertise in technology and finance.

Key Milestones

• 2023, Gartner Customers’ Choice Award: Fastly is the only vendor to be named a Customers’ Choice for five consecutive years. Achieved successful integration of Gartner Peer Insights Voice of Customer Web App, empowering us with valuable customer feedback and insights, facilitating data-driven decision-making and improving overall customer experience.


• Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team selects Fastly to Drive Ultimate Digital Performance. 


• Fastly launched a Managed Security Service in March 2023 to safeguard enterprises from growing threats. It offers tailored security solutions, expanding its global presence, enhancing content delivery capabilities, and introduced advanced features like Compute@Edge and real-time analytics.


• Fastly Names Puja Jaspal as Chief People Officer in December 2022.

News and Press Releases

• June 13, 2023, Fastly Expands Its Market Reach with Simplified Pricing and Packages (Read)


• March 27, 2023, Fastly Introduces New Partner Program to Deliver Greater Value for Customers and Partners (Read)


• March 15, 2023, Google Selects Fastly Oblivious HTTP Relay for Privacy Sandbox Initiative to Enhance Online Privacy for Billions of Chrome Users (Read)


• March 1, 2023, Fastly Launches Managed Security Service to Protect Enterprises from Rising Web Application Attacks (Read) 


• February 15, 2023, Fastly Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Financial Results (Read)

Competitor Analysis

Cloudflare

It provides a content delivery network, DDoS mitigation, Internet security services, and distributed domain name server services. They serve more than 26 million internet properties, handle over 8 million HTTP requests per second, and work with over 20,000 hosting providers and data centers.

Akamai Technologies

Company provides cloud services for delivering, optimizing, and securing online content and business applications. Their services range from web and mobile performance, to cloud security, enterprise access, video delivery, and more. They serve over 3,600 customers worldwide and have over 240,000 servers in over 130 countries.

Amazon CloudFront

Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network offered by Amazon Web Services. It integrates with other Amazon Web Services products to give developers and businesses an easy way to distribute content to end users. The service was launched in 2008 and has since grown to be one of the largest content delivery networks in the world. 

Limelight Networks

It provides a content delivery network, video delivery services, web content management, and cloud security services. They serve over 2500 customers worldwide and operate a global network of over 80 points of presence.

Corporate Responsibility

Fastly is committed to sustainability and has set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020. The company has achieved this goal and is now focusing on becoming carbon negative. They have also joined the Science Based Targets initiative, which helps companies set emissions reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement.

In addition to its environmental efforts, Fastly is committed to social impact. They have a program called “Fastly for GOOD” which supports various social and environmental initiatives, including education, health, and disaster relief. Fastly also encourages its employees to volunteer and give back to their communities.

Fastly is also committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and a supportive work environment through its Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These ERGs provide a platform for employees with shared interests and experiences to connect, offering valuable support, allyship, and leadership opportunities. Currently, Fastly has established ERGs such as Amig@s, Blackly, WAGE (Women and Gender Equality), FACT (Fastly Asians Coming Together), and *ly (Starly), which focuses on celebrating LGBTQIA+ Fastlyans. These ERGs foster a sense of community and enable employees to contribute to the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts.