Representative Investments
Hardware, Manufacturing and Logistics
Wireless Communications
Zipit Wireless (www.zipitwireless.com)
Zipit Wireless is a developer of wireless consumer electronics products, including the Zipit Wireless Messenger, a WiFi-based Linux computing device that offers users unlimited Instant Messaging, music streaming, photo and video viewing, and web widget applications. Zipit Wireless Messengers have also been adopted in the classroom for individual student assessment and multimedia lesson enhancement.
Flarion Technologies (www.flarion.com)
Flarion Technologies is a Cisco-backed Lucent spinout that has developed and commercialized a wireless platform for mobile broadband access aimed at next-generation, wide-area, cellular communications. Flarion's Flash-OFDM technology supports access speeds up to 15.9Mbps for data and voice communications using packet-based, Internet Protocol networking.
Mobile Device Components
Shicoh Engineering (www.shicoh.com)
Shicoh Engineering manufactures miniaturized vibration, auto-focus, fan and linear motors for camera phones and other devices requiring extremely small footprint and weight, with high durability and long life-cycle demands.
Viztec (acquired by major display manufacturer)
Viztec's Plastic Pixels
technology enables thin, lightweight, virtually unbreakable, flexible,
plastic displays to be manufactured with standard liquid crystal materials
in conjunction with standard driver electronics ICs.
Semiconductors
DFT Microsystems (www.dftmicrosystems.com)
McGill University spinout DFT MicroSystems has developed a proprietary radio frequency and mixed-signal IC test platform that enables high-speed signals to be measured accurately and quickly, using a low-cost test fixture in place of expensive legacy test equipment. The solution is comprised of high-speed test circuits, software applications, custom signal processors, and specialized printed circuit boards.
QuickSilver Technology (assets acquired)
QuickSilver Technologies is a
fabless semiconductor and IP licensing company that has developed and is
commercializing enabling platforms based on its patented IC
architecture technology called the Adaptive Computing Machine (ACM).
ACM-based ICs are targeted at applications that are very computationally
intensive and based on complex mathematical and logical algorithms. Such
applications include 3G baseband processors, image processors, network
security processors, WLAN baseband processors, satellite receivers, audio
and video processors, and other algorithmically intensive applications.
Embedded Systems
Encirq Corporation (www.encirq.com)
Encirq Corporation builds small footprint device optimization, data management and database technologies for embedded computing devices. These devices include: digital consumer electronics products, such as television set-top boxes, video recorders, car radios and navigation systems; industrial sensors, meters, and manufacturing systems; and communications products, such as cell phones, PBXs, switches, and routers.
Embedded Planet (www.embeddedplanet.com)
Embedded Planet offers 32-bit
embedded systems design services, hardware development kits,
production-ready Single Board Computers (SBCs), firmware, software, and
technical support for OEMs seeking faster time to market, lower development
costs and reduced project risk.
Optical Communications
FiBest (www.fibest.com)
FiBest manufactures leading edge, small footprint optical components and modules including 10Gbps modulators, transmitter and receiver modules.
RouteLambda (www.routelambda.co.jp)
Outsourced assembly of standardized optical networking equipment, utilizing low cost, commodity components, and sold broadly through indirect channels.
Displays and Imaging
bydsign (www.bydsign.com)
bydsign is a leading provider of high quality, low cost digital flat panel TVs and monitors, that the company designs in Japan, manufactures in China, and sells direct to consumers and through leading US and Japanese consumer electronics retailers.
e-Medical System (www.e-medicalsystem.com)
e-Medical Systems has developed high resolution imaging software capable of ‘stitching’ together the 2-D layered scanning output from CT and PET scans into 3-D images more suitable for medical diagnosis.
RFID and Retail Systems
W5 Networks (www.w5networks.com)
W5 Networks develops wireless applications optimized for the retail industry. Its initial product is an end-to-end Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) solution based on a patented revolutionary radio architecture that has enabled the company to blow through previous price barriers to adoption of ESLs.
Alien Technology (www.alientechnology.com)
Alien's ability to produce RFID tags, an electronic replacement for bar codes, at a sub-five cent price and in volumes scalable into the hundreds of billions of units needed for retail industry adoption serves as the catalyst for a revolutionary advance in logistics, inventory control, retail checkout and security that is being embraced by leading retailers and consumer goods manufacturers.
Smarts Japan (www.smarts.co.jp)
Smarts Japan data solutions
allow retailers to optimize pricing and shelf space allocations, share
store-level sales data with vendors/manufactures, and data-mine information
relating customer demographic and sales data.
Power and Batteries
Thin Battery Technologies (www.thinbatterytechnologies.com)
Thin Battery Technologies, an Eveready spin out, produces disposable, thin, flexible, batteries that can be manufactured in high-volumes at low cost using existing printing equipment and capacity. TBT batteries are used in the rapidly emerging markets for active and semipassive RFID tags, dataloggers, active packaging, and smart medical patches.
Manufacturing Automation
Class Technology (www.class.co.jp)
Class Technology offers a suite of manufacturing software solutions. The company’s Engineering Chain Management (ECM) software supports all processes in the manufacturing environment from design, trial production, procurement, production, sales and maintenance.
FAOPEN (www.faopen.jp)
FAOPEN offers a suite of
solutions to network shop floor manufacturing equipment enabling ‘remote
engineering’ with centralized monitoring of production and equipment
performance for reduced labor costs, improved up-time performance and
streamlined procurement.
Aerospace
Eclipse Aviation (www.eclipseaviation.com)
Eclipse Aviation is applying advanced design, manufacturing and technology innovations to the production of an economical twin-engine jet airplane that is redefining the general aviation industry.