Underline designs, finances, builds, and operates multi‑purpose fiber networks for U.S. municipalities, delivering fast, affordable, and secure broadband alongside a data backbone for utilities such as water, transit, and energy. Its open‑access software layer lets multiple ISPs and utility providers share the same fiber, offering real‑time monitoring, automated provisioning, and analytics to support smart‑city applications while eliminating upfront capital costs for cities.
Funding
$35M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Many U.S. cities lack a fiber-optic infrastructure that provides fast, affordable, and secure internet access, and they also miss the underlying connectivity needed to modernize critical utilities such as water, transit, and energy systems.
Solution
Underline builds and operates multi‑purpose fiber networks that serve both broadband connectivity and the data backbone for municipal utilities. The company designs, privately finances, constructs, and manages the fiber, then offers the network through an open‑access model or licenses the technology to other owners. Integrated software platforms provide network monitoring, service provisioning, and data analytics, enabling cities to deliver symmetric, uncapped internet to residents while supporting smart‑city applications for water, transit, and energy. By consolidating these services onto a single fiber layer, Underline reduces capital costs, accelerates deployment, and creates competitive service options for end users.
Target Audience
Primary customers are municipal governments and public‑utility agencies seeking to upgrade broadband access and integrate data connectivity for city services, as well as private ISPs and utility operators that require shared fiber infrastructure.
Features
- End‑to‑end fiber deployment engineered for simultaneous residential broadband and utility data transport
- Private financing and full‑service construction to eliminate upfront municipal capital expenditures
- Open‑access software layer that allows multiple ISPs and utility providers to share the same physical network
- Real‑time network operations dashboard with automated provisioning, performance monitoring, and security controls
- Compatibility with smart‑city infrastructure (e.g., SCADA, IoT sensors) to enable data‑intensive municipal services
- Scalable licensing model for existing network owners to adopt Underline’s multi‑purpose architecture