Perched on a counter in the front lobby of Netronome, a high-tech startup in Cranberry, is a glass frame containing a 1-square-inch metal chip embossed with the company's name.

Unveiled three weeks ago, the chip -- a Network Flow Processor -- is Netronome's solution to the long-standing trade-off between intelligence and performance in networks and communications systems.

Jarrod Siket, a man who is used to that confused look on people's faces when certain technology is discussed, tries to explain in layman's terms. In this case, the Netronome senior vice president and director of sales and marketing uses the analogy of airport security lines.

If the only goal were to move people through an airport line as quickly as possible, there would be no security checkpoint. But in both computer network traffic and in airports, there is a need to see what objects are passing through. That slows everything down.

Netronome, founded in late 2003, sees a significant entrepreneurial opportunity in trying to achieve security while maintaining computer network speed. With threats such as viruses, spam and malware unfolding everyday, networks need to be smarter, not just faster.

Taking the chip out of the frame, Mr. Siket began throwing around numbers -- each chip contains 40 cores running at 1.4 GHz and executing 56 billion instructions per second -- but cut off abruptly.

"Am I making sense?" he asked. "I spend so much time here that I can't tell if I'm talking in normal speech or in high-tech mumbo jumbo."

Though the Network Flow Processor might be fully appreciated by only tech insiders, Mr. Siket says the technology -- which runs at 2,000 times the speed of an average computer -- "will definitely unlock next wave of networking communication services."

Netronome's products aren't targeted toward individual consumers but toward companies that build networking equipment for businesses worldwide.

The company's first products, released in 2006, were acceleration hardware and software that improved the performance of Intel's IXP28XX processor, the market leading processor at the time.

In November 2007, when Intel announced it was stepping away from that line, Netronome signed a licensing agreement with the Santa Clara, Calif., company to develop a compatible network processor, thus gaining the customer base that Intel used to command.

At this point, the industry that has developed around computer networks communications involves competitors working in two main areas -- increasing speed with higher performance and improving intelligence via greater programmability, said Mr. Siket.

The Netronome team believes that its new processor should do well by combining speed with the greatest level of programmability and by working both in the latest equipment as well replacing older Intel parts.

The innovation has paid off: For the past three quarters, Netronome said it has broken sales records and exceeded its business plan. The privately held company refuses to release revenue or sales figures.

Netronome has grown significantly since its founding six years ago by three men with ties to FORE Systems, a Pittsburgh company that provided Internet switching equipment before being acquired by London-based Marconi Data Networks.

Generations of tech companies spun out of FORE Systems, including Laurel Networks, ECI Telecom, Spinnaker and TimeSys.

Today at Netronome, connections to those various start-ups is evident in the fact that nearly "everyone in the office has a leg in one of those companies," said Mr. Siket. "Essentially everyone here has worked together since the early '90s."

The corporate headquarters in Cranberry is a testament to both the past and present of Netronome, displaying both its humble startup roots and its tremendous growth.

During a tour, Mr. Siket paused to point out a line in the carpet where the edge of the office had been before the company acquired the adjoining space. "We used to just have 23 people packed in this tiny little space," he said.

As more offices on the floor became available, Netronome expanded, knocking down walls and creating a labyrinth of cubicles and hallways. "It's a rat maze," Mr. Siket laughs. "Our office design is not going to win any architectural digest awards."

Netronome has come far since those earlier days, raising more than $53 million in venture funding and employing about 100 people in offices across the United States, China, England and South Africa.

That international growth is illustrated by three clocks hanging prominently on the office wall, set to times in Pittsburgh, London and Johannesburg, South Africa.

The decorating touch is both tactical -- allowing designers to communicate with teams across the globe during common work hours -- and motivational -- reminding everyone of the mission to enhance the speed and security of communications.

Despite the global connections, Netronome's Pittsburgh roots run deep. When asked about the impact of the company's location, Mr. Siket responded that Pittsburgh means: "all advantages, and no disadvantages."

A deep pool of young talent emerges from local universities, he said. Plus, the cost of living is low and there is a supportive ecosystem for startups. The Pittsburgh Technology Council, for instance, helped Netronome recruit qualified employees, and the Technology Collaborative assisted with securing office space and equipment.

The relationship between Netronome and its surroundings seems symbiotic, with the region deriving as many benefits from the company and from other high-tech startups in the area.

"An organization like Netronome that chose to locate here and start its business here is enhancing Pittsburgh's reputation as a center of excellence," said Kevin Lane, director of communications for the Pittsburgh Technology Council.