Wire is the secure collaboration platform that was built with encryption at its core, not bolted on as an afterthought. Founded in 2012 by Janus Friis (co-creator of Skype) and a team of former Skype engineers, Wire launched in 2014 with a focus on delivering a polished, secure messaging and calling experience.
Every message, call, file, and screen share on Wire is end-to-end encrypted using the Proteus protocol (based on Signal’s Double Ratchet). The platform is one of the few that encrypts everything by default — there’s no unencrypted mode. Wire’s code is open source, and the company has undergone multiple independent security audits.
Wire pivoted from a consumer app to an enterprise-focused platform around 2018, repositioning itself for organizations that need secure communication. The platform offers messaging, group calls, video conferencing, file sharing, and guest rooms for external collaboration. Wire can be self-hosted or run on Wire’s cloud, giving organizations flexibility in their deployment model.
The company has found strong adoption in government and regulated industries. Swiss government agencies, German federal authorities, and various European defense organizations use Wire for classified communications. The platform’s European hosting and compliance with GDPR and other regulations make it attractive for organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements.
Wire has raised over $70 million in funding from investors including Morpheus Ventures and Cipio Partners. The company competes with Microsoft Teams and Slack on features while differentiating on security and data sovereignty. Revenue comes from per-seat enterprise subscriptions. Wire’s challenge is convincing organizations that security should be the primary factor in choosing a collaboration tool, not just a checkbox item.
