In the world of cloud computing, businesses are constantly striving to optimise performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency.
AI-driven platforms have become a key solution, offering automated tools that make operations easier.
These platforms analyse data, make quick real-time decisions, and adjust to changing workloads, enabling smooth application performance with little human input.
Meet Akamas, an AI-driven platform for cloud and application optimisation.
Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Moviri, Akamas helps businesses automatically optimise
their cloud and Kubernetes environments using AI.
In this edition of the “What’s in the name” series, Luca Forni, Co-Founder and CEO of Akamas shares the story behind the company’s distinctive name and what it represents.
The story behind Akamas
When asked about the inspiration behind the name, Forni offers both an official explanation and an untold anecdote that traces back to the company’s early days.
“The name Akamas is inspired by Greek mythology, a figure known for his intelligence and strategic thinking,” he explains. “In Homer’s Iliad, Akamas was a warrior known for his intelligence and strategic thinking—qualities that resonate deeply with our mission. Just as Akamas thrived by adjusting to ever-changing battle conditions, modern enterprises must continually optimize their cloud environments to stay competitive.”
However, Forni also revealed a lesser-known origin story that adds a layer to the naming process.
“During our stealth phase, the project was initially codenamed ‘M.A.S’—short for Machine Learning Autotuning System. But as we progressed, we realised that ‘MAS’ wasn’t quite fitting as an official brand. It even had some unfortunate historical associations in Italy,” he says.
While brainstorming alternatives, the alpha version distributed to early adopters was given the temporary name ‘A.K.A. MAS’—short for ‘Also Known As MAS.’
“In our research, we discovered that ‘Akamas’ was not only a legendary Greek warrior but also the name of a breathtaking, wild peninsula in Cyprus, home to the Blue Lagoon,” Forni recalls.
A name that reflects a vision
“Our mission is to help businesses optimise cloud performance & reliability autonomously and without trade-offs between cost, reliability, and speed,” Forni states.
“Akamas, the warrior, symbolises continuous learning and strategic adaptation—core principles of our optimisation platform. Meanwhile, the Akamas Peninsula represents the idea of venturing into the unknown, exploring the ‘optimisation space,’ and discovering new efficiencies. One of our internal mottos is ‘press play and relax,’ much like unwinding in the stunning Blue Lagoon.”
The naming journey
Deciding the name was no easy decision. “It took us quite a while to finalise ‘Akamas’,” Forni admits. “We had some key requirements: the name had to be short—ideally six letters or fewer—start with ‘A’ for advantageous alphabetical listing, be unique in the tech industry, and be easy to pronounce across different languages.”
Fortunately, Akamas met all these criteria, even though, as Forni puts it, “we unknowingly had the name hidden within our project codename from the very beginning.”
The practicalities of branding
A strong name is only as good as its availability, and in today’s digital landscape, securing the right domain is crucial.
“Domain availability was a major factor in our decision,” Forni emphasises. “We ensured that akamas.io was available before finalising the name. It was vital for our online presence and branding.”
Trademarking the name posed its challenges.
Given its historical and geographical significance, the team had to work carefully to establish Akamas as a unique identity in the cloud optimisation space.
“We worked with legal experts to secure our brand identity in key markets and ensure no conflicts with existing trademarks in our industry.,” he says. “Fortunately, we were able to establish Akamas as a recognized trademark without major hurdles.”
A name built for the future
As Akamas continues to grow, Forni sees the name as an enduring pillar of the brand.
“While our primary focus today is AI-driven cloud optimization, the name isn’t restricted to a single product or market. It gives us room to expand into AI-driven infrastructure automation and other adjacent fields,” he explains. “As we grow globally, we don’t anticipate changing the name, but we may introduce sub-product names under the Akamas umbrella to reflect our evolving offerings.”
The role of a name in a startup’s success
Forni believes that while a great name is important, it’s not the sole driver of success.
“A name needs to be memorable, easy to pronounce in multiple languages, and reflect the company’s vision,” he says. “But at the end of the day, what truly matters is the value we bring to our customers. A strong name helps establish a brand, but execution, innovation, and customer trust are what sustain long-term success.”
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