Cloudforce

Cloudforce

IT cloud consulting with secure AI

Overview

Cloudforce provides IT consulting and outsourcing focused on Microsoft cloud solutions for businesses and government entities. It helps create, migrate, and maintain custom software within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem and now offers secure, private-cloud generative AI solutions for regulated industries from education to healthcare via nebulaONE®. nebulaONE® is a secure AI platform that runs inside an organization’s private cloud tenant, enabling deployment of AI models while meeting privacy and compliance rules like FERPA, HIPAA, and GDPR, with added consulting, change management, and engineering support. The company differentiates itself with a true private-cloud AI environment, a proven user base of over 3 million users across 90 organizations, and strong Microsoft partnership awards, while aiming to expand nebulaONE’s capabilities and grow its ecosystem through strategic investments.

Significant Headcount Growth

About Cloudforce

Simplify's Rating
Why Cloudforce is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Consulting

Enterprise Software

AI & Machine Learning

Healthcare

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$10M

Headquarters

Oxon Hill, Maryland

Founded

2010

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • January 2026 Series A from Owl Ventures and M12 validates product-market fit and distribution.
  • August 2026 Maryland expansion adds 250 jobs and doubles headquarters to 30,000 square feet.
  • nebulaONE reached four million users across 90 organizations, while retention hit 100% in 2025.

What critics are saying

  • Microsoft can bundle Copilot and Azure OpenAI into education deals, compressing nebulaONE pricing by 2027.
  • Cloudforce depends on higher-education procurement; budget freezes and grant delays stall deployments next fiscal year.
  • A single HIPAA or FERPA compliance failure would kill trust and freeze regulated-sector sales.

What makes Cloudforce unique

  • nebulaONE keeps customer data inside private Azure tenants, satisfying FERPA, HIPAA, and GDPR.
  • Cloudforce sells governed AI plus consulting, change management, and engineering, not software alone.
  • Microsoft named Cloudforce 2025 Education Partner of the Year after Oxford, UCLA, and Maryland adoption.

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Funding

Total Funding

$10M

Below

Industry Average

Funded Over

1 Rounds

Series A funding typically happens when a startup has a product and some customers, and now needs funding to scale. This money is usually used to grow the team, expand marketing, and improve the product. Venture capital firms are frequently the main investors here.
Series A Funding Comparison
Below Average

Industry standards

$15M
$8.2M
Discord
$10M
Cloudforce
$15M
Canva
$30M
Kalshi

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Parental Leave

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

401(k) Company Match

401(k) Retirement Plan

Gym Membership

Professional Development Budget

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

7%

2 year growth

7%
PR Newswire
Aug 13th, 2026
Frontier firm Cloudforce doubles National Harbor headquarters as agentic AI drives nebulaONE(R) growth.

Frontier firm Cloudforce doubles National Harbor headquarters as agentic AI drives nebulaONE(R) growth. Aug 13, 2026, 09:00 ET NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Cloudforce, the AI platform company behind nebulaONE(R), is doubling its National Harbor headquarters with an additional 15,000 square feet. The expansion follows yesterday's announcement from Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Commerce covering the 250 new jobs Cloudforce will add and the significant state and county support behind the project (available in full here). The expansion is a direct response to sustained customer demand for Cloudforce's nebulaONE AI platform, which now supports more than 4 million users globally. Their commercial model is a large part of why, as nebulaONE is licensed on the value it delivers versus per user seats, so an institution can turn it on for every user on day one. At a moment when token costs are climbing fast enough to stall enterprise rollouts, this structure has cut the cost of AI adoption by roughly an order of magnitude. Cloudforce evaluated several sites across the metro region and beyond before deciding to expand at National Harbor. The conditional loans from Advantage Maryland and the Prince George's County EDC cover construction and materials costs, keeping more of the company's own capital directed towards growth and talent. "We're fortunate to have had many options, but we chose to stay and expand in the community that helped us achieve our success in the first place," said Husein Sharaf, founder and CEO of Cloudforce. "Maryland and Prince George's are helping us carry the fixed costs of scaling. The capital we raised goes towards delighting customers, and to the team members that make all of this possible." Cloudforce recently closed a $10 million Series A from Owl Ventures and M12, Microsoft's venture fund. The team has grown 83% in two years and is approaching 150 employees. Microsoft also named Cloudforce its global Education Partner of the Year, tied to nebulaONE adoption at institutions including the University of Maryland, UCLA, and the University of Oxford. About Cloudforce: Cloudforce is an AI platform company helping organizations adopt secure, governed AI at scale. Its flagship product, nebulaONE(R), gives institutions private access to frontier AI models and agentic workflows inside their own cloud, with data staying under customer control and out of model training. Cloudforce is headquartered at National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland. Learn more at www.gocloudforce.com. SOURCE Cloudforce

Capital Gazette
Aug 12th, 2026
AI platform to expand Maryland headquarters, add 250 jobs.

AI platform to expand Maryland headquarters, add 250 jobs. Move supports company's secure AI platform for higher education and government customers. PUBLISHED: August 12, 2026 at 10:03 AM EDT Cloudforce will expand its headquarters at National Harbor, retain more than 130 employees and add 250 Maryland jobs over five years.

The BayNet
Aug 12th, 2026
AI company Cloudforce selects Prince George's County for major expansion adding 250 new jobs.

AI company Cloudforce selects Prince George's County for major expansion adding 250 new jobs. ANNAPOLIS - Governor Wes Moore announced that AI platform company Cloudforce is expanding its headquarters in Prince George's County, retaining more than 130 employees and adding 250 new Maryland jobs over the next five years. Located at National Harbor, Cloudforce is leasing an additional 15,000 square-feet of office space, effectively doubling its headquarters footprint as the company scales its secure AI platform for higher education and broader public-sector customers around the world. Video Muted "Cloudforce's expansion and continued commitment to Maryland is a win for our state's workers, students, and our future," said Gov. Moore. "Our administration is making historic investments to support partnerships with world class leaders like Cloudforce and building pathways to work, wages, and wealth, so that Maryland communities have a leg up in this rapidly evolving economy." The company selected Maryland after an extensive analysis of potential expansion sites across the DC-Metro region. Cloudforce cited Maryland's concentration of technical talent, access to leading universities, and the Moore-Miller Administration's focus on economic competitiveness, service, and workforce development as key factors in the decision. "Cloudforce's continued investment at National Harbor reflects what we've long believed - that great companies want to be in environments that help them attract talent and support long-term growth," said Peterson Companies CEO Jon Peterson. "We're proud that National Harbor has been part of Cloudforce's journey, and we're excited to continue providing the space and community that supports their next chapter." Cloudforce has grown from a Microsoft cloud specialist into a frontier AI platform company. Its flagship product, nebulaONE(R), gives institutions governed access to leading AI models and agentic workflows, helping them provide private, secure, and equitable AI access at scale. In 2025, Cloudforce was named Microsoft's global Education Partner of the Year, recognition driven by nebulaONE's adoption at leading institutions including the University of Maryland, UCLA, London Business School, the University of Oxford, and many others. "The truth is, our success has been powered by the people, partners, and community that welcomed us when we planted roots in Maryland," said Cloudforce Founder and CEO Husein Sharaf. "When it came time to grow, we had every option on the table, including markets across state lines and across the country. We chose to double down here instead, because we'd rather strengthen the place that helped build us than start over somewhere new. That means more great jobs, deeper investment in this community, and a company culture rooted in bringing our people together in one place." Cloudforce is also expanding its Maryland talent strategy. The company has supported Governor Moore's Service Year agenda and is exploring additional pathways for Service Year members, interns, and early-career Marylanders to gain hands-on experience with AI. Cloudforce also works closely with the University of Maryland as both a vendor-partner and a key employer of recent graduates, including through career exposure, student engagement, and philanthropic support for leadership programs serving talented Maryland transfer students. To assist with project costs, the company is eligible for a $1.25 million conditional loan through Advantage Maryland, administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce. Additionally, Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation is offering a $125,000 conditional loan through its Economic Development Incentive Fund. Cloudforce may also qualify for various state and local tax credits, including the Job Creation Tax Credit. "We're very proud to have an innovative, forward-thinking company like Cloudforce choose to expand in Maryland," said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, Jr. "Not only is the Cloudforce team creating good jobs for our residents and supporting career pathways for students and recent graduates, they are providing their business clients the solutions they need to succeed and thrive in an ever-changing world." "Maryland is already home to the universities, entrepreneurs, and workers that can lead the next era of AI," said Prince George's County Executive Aisha Braveboy. "Cloudforce's decision to expand here shows how we turn those assets into good jobs and real opportunity. Their work with the University of Maryland and Prince George's Community College, their commitment to training local talent, and their global leadership in AI are exactly the kind of innovation ecosystem we need to grow." "The Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation is excited to see Cloudforce Group continue its growth by expanding its headquarters in Prince George's County," said President and CEO of Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation Ingrid Watson. "This investment reflects the confidence innovative technology companies have in our business environment and will contribute to the County's commercial economy through job creation, business expansion, and increased local tax revenue."

PR Newswire
Jan 9th, 2026
Cloudforce raises $10M Series A led by Owl Ventures to expand AI platform serving 3M users across education and healthcare

Cloudforce, a Maryland-based AI firm, has raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Owl Ventures, with participation from M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund. The investment grants Cloudforce access to Microsoft's enterprise sales organisation and product teams. The company's nebulaONE platform now serves over three million users across 90 institutions globally, including the University of Oxford, UCLA and London Business School. Cloudforce is deploying to several new organisations weekly. The funding will support global expansion of nebulaONE, which provides secure AI access to students, faculty and researchers. The company is also scaling operations in healthcare, having secured its first customers following HIPAA certification earlier this year, and expanding into the broader public sector.

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