AnchorFree

AnchorFree operates as an internet privacy and security firm, established in 2005 by co-founders David Gorodyansky and Eugene Malobrodsky. The two childhood friends, who had previously founded and exited a computer equipment resale company, started AnchorFree with the goal of developing a solution that would have a significant global impact. Gorodyansky, an immigrant from Moscow, Russia, and Malobrodsky, originally from Lithuania, shared a vision for providing secure and private web access to a global user base.

The company's core offering is Hotspot Shield, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service that launched in 2008. This service functions by creating an encrypted tunnel between the user's device and AnchorFree's servers, which masks the user's IP address and secures their web traffic from potential eavesdropping. Hotspot Shield gained considerable traction during global events where internet access was restricted, such as the Arab Spring in 2010-2011, where its user base in Egypt grew from 100,000 to one million as citizens used it to access social media for organizing protests. Its usage also surged during other events like the 2014 Hong Kong protests and in Turkey in 2013 amidst government censorship efforts.

AnchorFree's business model is structured as a 'freemium' service. A basic version of Hotspot Shield is available for free and is supported by advertising, while a premium subscription tier offers enhanced features like ad-free browsing, faster speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and a wider choice of server locations. This model allows the company to serve a broad audience while generating revenue from users who require more advanced capabilities. The company's proprietary Hydra technology is noted for its speed and performance. The service is available across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Over the years, AnchorFree secured significant funding, including a $52 million round from Goldman Sachs in 2012 and a subsequent $295 million investment in 2018 led by WndrCo. This influx of capital brought the company's total funding to $358 million. The company, which was also known as Pango, was eventually acquired by Aura, a digital security company, in July 2020. This acquisition was part of Aura's strategy to create a unified security suite, combining Hotspot Shield's VPN capabilities with other identity protection and security products.

Keywords: VPN, cybersecurity, internet privacy, Hotspot Shield, freemium, secure browsing, David Gorodyansky, Eugene Malobrodsky, online security, data protection, content access, censorship circumvention, Hydra protocol, Pango, Aura, WndrCo, Goldman Sachs, internet freedom, encrypted connection, IP address masking