Go Live Partners Series: Cloud49, LLC.

Founded in 2010 and based in Anchorage, Alaska, Cloud49 LLC (https://www.cloud49.com) is a BizSpark startup and SaaS ISV providing human capital management software (HCMS) primarily to enterprises in the US over $100M in annual revenue. 

Co-founders Nathaniel Gates and Paul Dicang worked together for several years in Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and experienced first-hand the limitations and expense of available solutions.  In June of 2010 they left their jobs to start Cloud49, a cloud-based infrastructure services (i.e. backup, DR) company.  They then built on their success by moving into building and selling HCMS solutions. 

(NOTE: ANCs are regional or village companies in the State of Alaska that serve the interests of their shareholders - i.e. the inhabitants.  By their nature, they are a mix of public sector, human resources, education and social. )

FireweedHCMS (https://www.fireweedhcms.com) is a new software suite incorporating 5 application areas (e.g. Shareholder Data Management, Student & Scholarship Management) that provide instant financial and social benefits.  Azure compute, storage and SQL Azure were used to build the system.

Cloud49 chose the Azure platform for a couple of reasons.  They were already familiar and comfortable with .NET technologies.  They wanted to build and run their system in a cloud that runs .NET not as an afterthought, but as a first class citizen.  In addition, data security and platform reliability are very important to their customers.  When prospects hear that the system is running in Microsoft datacenters, these concerns vanish from the discussion.

Congratulations, Cloud49!