Corporate Backgrounder
Company
Airgain, Inc.
1930 Palomar Point Way, Suite 107
Carlsbad, CA, 92008
Tel: +1 760 579 0200
Fax: +1 760 579 0892
Email:
Website: www.airgain.com
Business
Airgain is a wireless systems innovator focused on improving the mass market's wireless connectivity experience through our patented smart antenna technology and wireless system products. We design, develop and engineer smart antennas and wireless connectivity products consisting of multi-element hardware and proprietary enhancements to standards-based software. Our smart antennas and wireless video solutions are intended for integration into a variety of wireless devices, including access points, routers, residential gateways, set-top boxes, media adapters and client devices. We supply our products and license our technology to original equipment and design manufacturers worldwide.
Products
Airgain's smart and embedded antennas provide the flexibility of an omni-directional antenna and the enhanced performance of directional gain to deliver greater range and throughput than conventional external antennas. Our flagship MaxBeam75 smart antenna uses our patented SmartGain™ switched beam technology to triple the signal strength and double the coverage over standard dipole antennas. Our antenna technology has been adopted by some of world's largest DSL manufacturers and is being used by subscribers of leading service providers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Our antennas enhance the performance of both 802.11abg and 802.11n devices, and we have antennas in development for the emerging WiMAX and femtocell markets. Airgain is also focused on the design, development and production of software and hardware systems that improve the range and packet delivery of WLAN systems to the level required for wireless distribution of HDTV video content within the home.
Market Opportunity
The market for Wi-Fi devices is expected to grow from 278 million units in 2007 to 1.2 billion units by 2011, a compound annual growth rate of 34% (Source: ABI). This growth will be driven largely by the introduction of array of WLAN access point and client devices, including a variety of consumer electronics devices. The market for Wi-F-enabled CE devices alone will grow from 41 million units in 2006 to nearly 250 million units by 2011. Trends favor the use of our embedded, high performance antenna solutions in these devices, as indicated by the following: (i) growing penetration of broadband Internet connections; (ii) coverage limitations of omni-directional dipole antennas; (iii) increasing use of WLAN devices in the home and office; (iv) demand for enhanced coverage and throughput driven by the emerging market for in-home media distribution; and (v) increasing desire of manufacturers to eliminate external antennas.
Target Customers
- WLAN Manufacturers — Incorporate Airgain smart antennas into wireless access points, routers and bridges to increase the range and throughput of 802.11 products.
- DSL/Cable Modem Manufacturers — Utilize Airgain smart antennas to improve the performance of DSL and Cable Gateway solutions, increasing overall coverage within a home or office environment and maximizing customer satisfaction.
- Consumer Electronics Manufacturers — Incorporate smart antenna systems into Wi-Fi-enabled home entertainment systems to maximize throughput and performance of digital media adapters and multimedia home electronics that share streaming video, music content, and high speed Internet access.
Investors
Since its recapitalization in July 2003, Airgain has raised a total of approximately $22 million in capital. Funding sources include well-known angel investors and the following institutional investors:
- Northwater Intellectual Property Fund LP1 — Northwater Intellectual Property Fund LP1 is managed by Northwater Capital Management Inc., a leading investment management company, wholly owned by its employees. Northwater manages over US $8.5 billion in assets, applying innovative investment strategies and sophisticated proprietary software in assisting major institutions to build optimal portfolios. In particular, Northwater applies the sciences of advanced finance and systems engineering toward the objective of delivering highly diversified market returns plus robust alpha. For more information please see www.northwatercapital.com.
- GEN3 Capital LP — GEN3 Capital Fund I LP is based in San Francisco, Chicago and Boston. The Fund, through its exclusive relationship with GEN3 Partners, has unique access to the Russian scientific community for identification of leading edge technologies in the areas of wireless communications, energy storage and non-invasive medical technologies. GEN3 Partners is a global product innovation consulting firm that dramatically improves the impact, predictability and productivity of the corporate innovation process. For more information please see www.GEN3.com.
Executive Team
Pertti Visuri, President and CEO
Glenn Selbo, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development
Alan Frank, Vice President, Sales
Board of Directors
Jim Sims — Chairman/CEO, Gen3 Partners. Former Founder, Cambridge Technology Partners; Founder, Concurrent Computer Corporation; Vice Chairman, RSA Security.
Robert P. Wayman — Retired. Former CFO and Interim CEO, Hewlett Packard.
Thomas A. Munro — CEO, Verimatrix. Former President and CFO, Wireless Facilities; Founder of start-ups, @Market, Sportsgear.com and Precision Digital Images; CFO, MetLife Capital Corporation.
Arthur M. Toscanini — CFO, Gen3 Partners; Former CFO, Cambridge Technology Partners; VP &: Controller, Concurrent Computer Corporation. Perkin-Elmer Data Systems Group.
Harry W. Colmery, Jr. — Retired. Former SVP Capital Guardian Trust; SVP Crocker Bank; Partner &: MD, Lehman Brothers; Investment Manager, William R. Staats &: Co.
Francis Kordyback — Vice President of Northwater Intellectual Property Fund, former Managing Director of CCFL Parklea Capital Inc.
James Sims — CEO, GenXL. Former VP, Gen3 Partners; VP Corporate Business Development, Cambridge Technology Partners.
Pertti J. Visuri — President &: CEO, Airgain
Executive Team
Dr. Pertti Visuri
President and CEO
Dr. Pertti Visuri has more than 20 years of experience in management of high technology businesses. Prior to joining Airgain, Dr. Visuri was Vice President of Consulting Services at Stellcom, Inc., a leading consulting and engineering company focusing on mobile and wireless data solutions. Before that he served as a Senior Vice President at SAIC, a $6 billion research and engineering company; President and CEO of Tenth Mountain Systems Inc., an Internet payment systems firm; and Senior Vice President of Global Integrity Corporation, a leading information security company. His experience includes managing venture capital investments and large portfolios of patented intellectual property. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Physics and a business degree from the Helsinki University of Technology and is a graduate of the Executive MBA program from the University of Michigan.
Alan Frank
Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Mr. Frank joined Airgain as VP, Worldwide Sales in February 2008. Previously, Mr. Frank served as the Director of Western Sales and Northwest Regional Manager for Semtech Corporation, a supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products for use in computers, portable devices, and communications equipment. Prior to joining Semtech, Mr. Frank served as Director of Worldwide Sales and Business Development for Oren Semiconductor, a privately-owned fabless IC manufacturer that designed, developed and marketed VLSI demodulator ICs for the digital television and set-top box markets prior to its acquisition in 2005. Mr. Frank has also held various sales and marketing positions with Altera Corporation, Cypress Semiconductor, and Epson America. Mr. Frank received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware.
Glenn Selbo
Vice President, Marketing and Business Development
Mr. Selbo is responsible for product marketing and business development activities at the company. Prior to joining Airgain, Mr. Selbo served as Senior Director of Sales and Marketing for Powerwave Technologies, where he oversaw marketing and product management activities for cellular power amplifier solutions. Previously, he served as Vice President of Strategic Marketing for Wireless Facilities, a wireless network services firm, during a period of rapid expansion and the 10th highest IPO debut in NASDAQ history. Mr. Selbo has also served as Vice President of Marketing for VoltDelta, an application service provider in the wireless space, and Director of Global Market Development for Unisys Corporation. Mr. Selbo began his wireless career with AirTouch Communications, where he held several marketing and business development positions in the company's US and International operations. Mr. Selbo received his MBA from the University of Southern California and BA in Finance from California State University, Fullerton.