Epoch Internet Gets $25 Million in Fresh Capital

Epoch Internet said Thursday it raised $25 million in new venture capital to keep growing nationally as an Internet service provider.

The privately held Irvine company, founded by Scott Purcell in 1994, has said it wants to remain independent and isn’t interested in selling to larger ISPs or phone companies.

Epoch connects clients to the “backbone” of the Internet, hosts Web sites and e-mail and provides other services.

Denny Van Ness, managing director at CIBC Capital Partners, one of the venture capital firms that raised the money, said Epoch is well-positioned to compete as one of the Top 10-rated Internet service providers.

Other firms involved in financing Epoch include HarbourVest Venture Partners, Providence Equity Partners, Gold & Appel, Prime New Ventures, Arete Ventures and Dolphin Communications.