Industry Education Technology Website www.neverware.com Founded 2013 | Headquarters Manhattan, USA Founder Jonathan Hefter | |
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Type Technology, Virtualization | ||
Neverware is a venture-backed technology company that provides a service to make old PCs and Macs run like new. In February 2015 the company launched its second product, CloudReady; an operating system built on Google's open-source operating system Chromium. CloudReady can be installed on PCs and Macs up to 10 years old in order to speed them up and make them perform like a Chromebook. CloudReady machines can even be managed under the Google Admin Console, which is a true line of demarcation from just installing Chrome. It was founded by CEO Jonathan Hefter and currently specializes in the education sector. It is headquartered in the Flatiron District of Manhattan.
Contents
Neverware putting life back into old pcs
History
Hefter began developing Neverware’s core technology in 2009 after graduating from Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. In May 2010 Dogpatch Labs invited Hefter to work out of their Manhattan incubator, and in early 2011 Neverware officially formed, moved to General Assembly’s Manhattan location, and began operations.
After a successful pilot program, Neverware launched in January 2013, rolling its service out around New York City. CloudReady was released at the 2015 TCEA conference in Texas, indicating a broader national reach on the part of the company. Within weeks the product was picked up by education bloggers. The new Neverware product is clearly staying true to the company and Hefter's original vision to connect students with equitable, quality access to technology, and obviously their product development strategy identified Google as a major force in the education landscape.
Technology
Neverware’s first product, now branded PCReady, revolves around their proprietary server computer, called a Juicebox, which generates thin clients – a special kind of virtual machine. The Juicebox, which is installed locally, handles all processing and computing tasks and relegates only simple display and input tasks to the user’s machine. This is at the heart of Neverware’s business model, as it allows for outdated and even some broken technology to provide full functionality.
The current model Juicebox is designed specifically for education environments, providing a solution that is less expensive than comparable enterprise services.
Neverware's second product, CloudReady, follows Google into the cloud. The CloudReady operating system was built on Google's open-source Chromium and allows schools, non-profits and enterprises to revive their existing hardware while taking advantage of the Google Admin Console's power and ease-of-use. For schools, this also means giving students and teachers greater access to the ubiquitous Google Apps for Education. CloudReady is differentiated from other options by the fact that machines running the OS can be managed alongside Chromebooks in the Google Admin Console, support is provided for hundreds of computer models, and mass deployment to many devices through tools like SCCM, Ghost, FOG and WDS can be coordinated. This allows school district and enterprise administrators the control and security features they need, as well as an easy, sustainable alternative to surplussing existing machines. Since this article was published the company has changed its pricing structure to make it even more straightforward and affordable, with three options:
Annual Device License - $15 per device per year*
Perpetual License - $59 per device* (comes bundled with 3 years of technical support)
District Site License - $1 per student per year (includes unlimited use; minimum order of $1000)
*Licenses are fully transferable between devices.Service
Neverware’s PCReady service includes full installation and setup of the Juicebox server, and continual system maintenance and support. CloudReady is a single time installation, from USB
Financing
Neverware’s investors include Khosla Ventures, Upfront Ventures, Thrive Capital, General Catalyst Partners, Collaborative Fund, OurCrowd, Mark Suster and Nihal Mehta. Rethink Education became a major investor in Neverware in October 2014
Awards and recognition
Neverware has received media attention for its young founder, noteworthy cause, and projected viability. It has also been lauded for its potential for reducing Ewaste by extending the lifespan of aging hardware. Outlets such as Forbes.com, The New York Times, TechCrunch, The Verge, Engadget, and The MIT Technology Review have featured them.
• Ranked in 25 Hot New York City Start Ups
• Founder amongst 20 Hot Young Stars in New York Tech
• Founder listed in Forbes’ 2012 Up-and Comers
• One of 13 Promising East Coast Tech Startups to Watch in 2013