On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, San Francisco-headquartered technology company Contrivian announced the successful completion of its merger with networking software innovator Big Network.
The transaction directly incorporates Big Network’s proprietary software engine into Contrivian’s managed connectivity portfolio, forming a vertically integrated provider that unifies hardware, carrier infrastructure, orchestration software, and managed network services under a single operational model.
Shift from Legacy Failover to Active-Active Orchestration
The transaction transitions Contrivian from a standard managed connectivity supplier to a software-defined service provider. Rather than relying on traditional primary-and-secondary backup links—which react only after a connection drops or degrades—the combined platform executes an active-active routing architecture. Traffic is continuously evaluated and dynamically distributed across fiber, broadband, terrestrial 5G/LTE, and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite paths based on real-time latency and jitter metrics.
The integration expands upon Contrivian’s previous multi-orbit software initiatives, including its March 2026 launch of Contrivian Constellation and Amazon Leo integration as well as its June 2026 release of the Horizon Plus tactical platform.
Platform Architecture and Software Modules
The combined technical portfolio is delivered through three proprietary software systems:
- Contrivian Lighthouse: An active path-intelligence engine that measures real-world line conditions to dynamically select optimal routing channels for critical data.
- Contrivian NorthStar: A centralized lifecycle management and visibility console providing orchestration across global deployments of terrestrial and space assets.
- Contrivian Horizon: A software module engineered to extend active-active multi-modal routing into rapid, field-deployable and tactical environments.
Executive Rationale on Software Integration
“The merger fundamentally changes what Contrivian is and what we’re capable of becoming,” stated Grant Kirkwood, Founder and CEO of Contrivian. “Nobody else has this software, because nobody else built it for this. The Big Network software was engineered from the ground up for intelligent, multimodal, mission-critical connectivity, and it now lives inside our platform and nowhere else. Software, hardware, carrier and engineering now work as one system.”
Global Operating Footprint and Deployment Availability
Following the transaction, the combined organization supports enterprise and government clients across more than 160 countries, backed by a network of over 600 global carrier relationships. The unified multi-modal software platform is available immediately for enterprise, healthcare, energy, public safety, and defense deployments worldwide.
