Airgain Announces Name Change and Seed Round Funding
Company raises $1.8 million in funding for development of smart antenna technology
Carlsbad, CA, January 5, 2004 — The AM Group announced today that is has officially changed the name of the company to Airgain, Inc. to better reflect the company's vision and direction as a leading-edge developer of smart antenna solutions for next generation 802.11-compliant systems. The company also announced it has raised an initial seed round funding of $1.8 million from private investors. Originally founded in 1995, the company has specialized in the development of smart wireless networking technology since 2000.
Airgain's compact smart antenna solutions deliver the flexibility of an omni-antenna with the enhanced performance of a directional antenna. The technology provides dramatic improvements in range that increase the coverage of ordinary Wi-Fi solutions up to ten fold. Based on phased array radar principles developed for the military, Airgain's smart antennas can be steered electronically at very high switching speeds, greatly enhancing the performance of home or enterprise WLANs.
"Wireless systems present unique challenges to ensure connectivity over the air, especially when users are mobile," said Pertti Visuri, CEO of Airgain. "Over the past four years, our company has focused its time and resources on addressing the challenging area of data transmission through the air. We are now ready to introduce this technology to the marketplace and felt that the Airgain name more clearly defines our vision and products."
According to IDC, the WLAN systems market is expected to grow from $2.2 billion in 2002 to $3.1 billion in 2005. In addition, wireless data networking technology is beginning to experience growth in new markets, such as connecting consumer electronics devices in the home to share content.
Airgain's Smart Antenna technology has been implemented into several core form factors, which can be utilized in wireless bridges, access points and routers, and client devices. These elements can be combined in various ways with standard communication ports and memory configurations to create a variety of customer products for different markets, including:
- Home/Office WLANs – Smart antennas can be integrated into wireless access points, routers, bridges and media adapters to increase the range and throughput of 802.11 a, b, and g compliant systems.
- Wireless Multimedia Systems - Wireless home entertainment systems enabled with Airgain smart antennas ensure maximum coverage and performance for sharing streaming video, music content, and high speed Internet access.
- Office/Security Equipment – Airgain's smart wireless bridge extends the range of wirelessly enabled Ethernet-ready security cameras, printers, and copiers without the need for extensive inbuilding cabling.
Airgain Smart Antennas have been designed to meet the needs of OEMs, ODMs, and consumer electronics manufacturers dedicated to building the next generation of wireless multimedia networks.
About Airgain
Airgain is a leading smart antenna and wireless systems developer focused on improving the mass market’s wireless connectivity experience through its embedded antenna technology and modular wireless system products. Our innovative antenna solutions and systems open up exciting new possibilities in residential wireless services requiring design flexibility and reliable, whole-home wireless data and video coverage. Airgain’s expanded portfolio of embedded antenna products includes its flagship, high performance MaxBeam product line for 802.11b/g and 802.11n MIMO systems, and its new Profile family of low-profile PCB antennas for increased design flexibility. Airgain supplies its embedded antennas and systems to original equipment and design manufacturers worldwide from its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, which is supported by an Asian office in Taipei, Taiwan and research center located in St. Petersburg, Russia. For more information, visit www.airgain.com.
Airgain and the Airgain logo are registered trademarks of Airgain, Inc.
Company Contact
Airgain, Inc.
Glenn Selbo
VP, Marketing & Business Development
Airgain, Inc.
+1 760.579.0200
Media Contact
(W)right On Communications
Julie Wright
President
760.591.0700