SpringPath

CEO: Terry Cunningham

Founded: 2012

Headquarters: Sunnyvale, Calif.

The hyper-convergence software startup formed a strategic partnership with Cisco to build its hyper-converged infrastructure solution HyperFlex. Analysts said Cisco should turn up the heat in the market by acquiring SpringPath this year after Hewlett Packard Enterprise purchased hyper-converged rival SimpliVity in February. 

"Cisco will eventually buy them. The reason they haven't yet is because that market is still evolving," said Kerravala. "You could argue that Cisco is the only major data center vendor – maybe besides Lenovo – that doesn't have their own HCI technology."