Forward Networks Recognized for Advancing AI Through Digital Twin Technology

Named a 2026 AI Excellence Award winner for Forward AI, delivering operational AI grounded in mathematically precise network data

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Forward Networks, the industry leader in network digital twin technology, today announced that it has been named a winner in the 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards for its recently announced Forward AI feature set. Presented by the Business Intelligence Group, the award recognizes organizations, products, teams, and individuals that are applying artificial intelligence in ways that drive real, measurable impact.

Forward Networks' digital twin platform is proven in the world's most demanding environments. It models every device, path, and behavior to deliver mathematically precise insight, enabling trustworthy agentic operations and ensuring functional integrity and operational resilience across global enterprise networks. This provides the crucial foundation of comprehensive, mathematically precise network data required for the successful adoption of AI. 

Forward AI addresses the critical challenges facing global organizations, including increasing network complexity and the need to support AI adoption while safely implementing operational AI to improve network efficiency. By leveraging near-real-time, domain-specific behavioral data, the platform enables AI agents to act on trusted, verified data rather than assumptions, ensuring every action is grounded in precision and validated by guardrails.

"We founded Forward Networks to solve a problem the industry had learned to live with. Before Forward, it was hard for network and security teams to know with certainty how a complex network would actually behave," said Nikhil Handigol, co-founder and chief AI officer of Forward Networks. "At scale, assumptions break down, and that risk compounds as organizations move toward automation and AI. A mathematically accurate digital twin changes that by providing a verified foundation teams can trust, so they can operate, automate, and adopt AI with confidence."

The 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards honor achievement across a broad range of industries and use cases, spotlighting the companies and leaders moving AI beyond experimentation and into practical, accountable deployment. This year's program recognized winners across 36 industries and more than 15 countries.

"AI has arrived! 2026 is about execution, accountability, and results," said Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer, Business Intelligence Group. "Forward Networks stood out because its work in Digital Twin Technology reflects where the market is headed: practical AI that solves real problems, earns trust, and delivers measurable value. This recognition highlights a team that is not just participating in the AI shift, but helping define what meaningful progress looks like."

Handigol concluded, "Being recognized with the AI Excellence Award for the Digital Twin Technology is a meaningful validation of that work, and we're deeply grateful, but more than anything, it reflects the trust that the IT leaders running the world's most critical networks have placed in us."

About Forward Networks
Forward Networks created the world's first network digital twin, transforming how organizations manage and secure their networks. Customers include global leaders such as Goldman Sachs, PayPal, S&P Global, IBM, and Dell, as well as other Fortune 500 enterprises, fast-growing companies, and government agencies.

The company's software creates a mathematically precise model of the production network, giving IT teams unmatched visibility, verification, and agility across multi-vendor environments and every major cloud, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. According to a recent IDC report, the average Forward Networks customer experiences US$14.2M in annual benefits through improved efficiency and security.

Trusted by Fortune 100 enterprises and federal agencies, Forward Networks helps organizations reduce risk, ensure compliance, and prepare their networks for the demands of AI and the next wave of digital transformation. Founded in 2013 by four Stanford Ph.D.s, Forward Networks is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and backed by leading investors including MSD Partners, Goldman Sachs, Andreessen Horowitz, Threshold Ventures, Section 32, Omega Venture Partners, and A. Capital. For more information, visit www.forwardnetworks.com.

About the Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards
Since 2013, the Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards recognize organizations, products, teams, and individuals leveraging AI technology to solve real-world problems. The program evaluates advances across 46 major AI application types and 36 industries, celebrating innovations that improve the human experience and advance society as a whole. Judged by a panel of experienced business executives who provide transparent feedback and detailed scoring, the awards honor those dedicated to using AI as a force for good.

About Business Intelligence Group
Business Intelligence Group (BIG) is an independent awards organization that has been recognizing outstanding achievement in business since 2012. Now in its 14th awards season, BIG operates 12 annual programs spanning innovation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, customer service, cloud computing, sustainability, sales and marketing, workplace culture, and women's leadership. Business award programs include the BIG Innovation Awards, AI Excellence Awards, Fortress Cyber Security Awards, Excellence in Customer Service Awards, Stratus Awards for Cloud Computing, Sustainability Awards, SAMMY Awards for Sales and Marketing, Best Places to Work Awards, Herizon Awards, We Love Tech Awards, NAA Top Employers Award, and BIG Awards for Business.

Unlike popularity contests, BIG programs use professional judging panels and objective scoring benchmarks to identify organizations, products, and individuals making real, measurable impact. Winners receive a complete promotional toolkit — including blockchain-verified credentials, press release support, social media assets, and featured placement across BIG's global community of more than one million business professionals.

For more information about BIG award programs, nomination deadlines, and judging criteria, visit bintelligence.com.

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SOURCE Forward Networks, Inc.