LightUp.Cloud and Ericsson: A Tale of Innovation, Savings, and Unlocking Data's True Potential

Picture this: a sprawling network of software campuses dotting the globe like stars in a vast digital sky, each one buzzing with the hum of innovation. That's Ericsson, the multinational titan whose R&D engines churn out the future of telecommunications. But beneath the surface of this grand enterprise lies a quiet challenge—a mountain of data, 20 petabytes strong, housed in Microsoft datacenters, with one R&D center alone generating 800 GB every day. It's a story as old as the tech world itself: growth brings glory, but also the weight of dependency. And into this narrative steps LightUp.Cloud, ready to lighten the load and illuminate a path to smarter, safer storage.

Our chapter with Ericsson began on a crisp day at their Annual Tech Day, an event where ideas spark like fireworks in the night. There I stood, behind the glowing letters T.E.C.H. It was a moment straight out of a corporate fairy tale—me, representing LightUp.Cloud, unveiling our secure file management platform as a beacon for giants like Ericsson. What if, I pondered aloud to the assembled engineers and visionaries, there was a way to harness the power of standard protocols while breaking free from the chains of costly clouds? The room leaned in, and our story truly began.

As the slides flickered to life on the screen, the tale unfolded slide by slide, painting a picture of problems solved and horizons expanded. First, we delved into the heart of the matter: What problem does LightUp.Cloud resolve for a behemoth like Ericsson? In an era where data is the lifeblood of innovation, the burdens of vendor lock-in loomed large. Dependency on a single provider grows heavier with every petabyte, new services demanding proprietary APIs that tie teams in knots. And in the shadow of AI's rise, data breaches lurk like thieves in the night—valuable assets left vulnerable to prying eyes.

Our solution, simple yet profound one: embrace the standard AWS S3 protocol, but deploy it on private infrastructure for all data needs. It's freedom wrapped in efficiency. For Ericsson, it meant avoiding the escalating costs of public clouds, slashing expenses by up to 4 times while fortifying defenses against breaches. Developers could sync files seamlessly, collaborate without limits, and focus on what they do best—building the connected world—rather than wrestling with storage woes.

But why LightUp.Cloud over the competition? The next slide laid it bare, a side-by-side showdown that highlighted our edge. While rivals like OneDrive and SharePoint offered basic file synchronization, they fell short on the finer details. LightUp.Cloud delivered full file versions and recovery, file lock/unlock for conflict-free teamwork, and a changelog with rollback options stretching beyond 365 days—far surpassing the typical 30-day limits. Unlimited users and devices? Check. In a world of restrictions, we offered boundless potential, tailored for enterprises like Ericsson where every byte counts.

The narrative then ventured into the broader landscape: the concept and market for this potential powerhouse. LightUp.Cloud isn't just a tool; it's a fast, accessible collaboration platform that scales effortlessly to petabytes, perfect for global teams. The market is a thriving realm valued at $15.9 billion in 2025, fueled by 24.7 million SMBs in the EU alone and a blistering 26% CAGR from 2020-2025.

At the core of our vision lies a simple truth: while cloud providers chase customer loyalty through clever locks and keys, LightUp.Cloud opens doors to choice. Opt for cheaper storage alternatives without the drama of migration headaches. For Ericsson, the benefits were crystal clear: data once shackled to SharePoint could now reside in cost-effective havens, with SharePoint merely linking to this internal fortress. Developers' productivity would soar, unburdened by sync delays, and the door would swing wide for SaaS offerings to Ericsson's own customers—turning internal efficiency into external revenue streams.

Zooming out, the story touched on the wider world: in the USA, 30.2 million small companies, and in the EU, 24.7 million more, many eyeing Dropbox with wary glances—too pricey, too risky, as our studies revealed. LightUp.Cloud steps in as the efficient bridge to "cloud" storage, but on their terms: secure, affordable, and free from the shadows of vendor lock-in. It's a tale of empowerment for SMBs, much like the grand enterprises we serve.

The presentation culminated not in slides, but in handshakes and shared visions. Here's a snapshot from that day: me, Vitalii from LightUp.Cloud, alongside Pat, Head of Engineering at Ericsson.

And so, our story with Ericsson continues to unfold, page by page, byte by byte. In a world of data deluges, LightUp.Cloud isn't just an alternative—it's the key to a brighter, more efficient tomorrow. For giants and SMBs alike, the journey toward smarter storage has just begun.