Participated · Series B · May 2021

Accelleran provides OpenRAN software, solutions and services for 4G and 5G RAN and vRAN. Its software architecture enables clients to maximize software-defined networks, network virtualization and RAN intelligence. The company’s offerings support management of private, public and neutral-host networks. Its products are used across multiple markets including Private Networks, Fixed Wireless, Public Mobile, Neutral Host and IoT. Founded in 2013 by Frederic van Durme (CEO), Accelleran is based in Antwerp, Belgium. The company recently raised €6.8M in a Series B financing and intends to use the funds to accelerate its global expansion. Accelleran develops platform-independent small cell LTE software and design solutions for TD-LTE deployments across metro outdoor to residential indoor use cases. Founded in early 2013, the company is led by industry veterans with an average of more than 20 years’ experience in small cell development. Accelleran emphasizes highly reliable, carrier-grade products and volume product supply enabled by close relationships with world-class manufacturers. Its technology targets cost-competitive, flexible deployment models to address growing TD-LTE market demand. The company plans to use new funding to boost business and product development and to accelerate ramp-up into key target markets.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2020

siOPTICA develops switchable on-demand privacy shields for a range of devices, enabling screen privacy to be switched on or off with a single keystroke. Its technology has been applied to automotive passenger displays, laptops, tablets, mobile phones and payment terminals. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Germany. siOPTICA has raised €2 million from current investors to ramp up production of its privacy shields. The funding will fuel high-volume manufacturing of existing products and allow the team to devote more development time to laptop and tablet computing projects. The company will also research new privacy technologies to integrate with upcoming displays. siOPTICA GmbH develops integrated switchable privacy filters for screens, targeting automotive, ATMs/payment terminals and mobile devices (especially laptops). Its built-in filters improve PIN-entry security at ATMs and payment terminals and enable vehicle displays to show passenger entertainment while keeping driver-visible navigation or non-distracting information. siOPTICA's technology avoids the severe light loss and increased power consumption of conventional external privacy films and supports multiple operating modes. With the fresh capital the company plans to extend its product range, expand its IP portfolio, adapt existing solutions to new customer needs and develop next-generation privacy technologies. The company also intends to expand its global distribution network to strengthen its market position. siOPTICA was founded in Jena in 2013. siOPTICA, founded in 2013 by Dr. Markus Klippstein and based in Jena, Germany, develops switchable privacy filters for secure PIN entry on ATMs and payment terminals. Its privacy solution enables secure PIN entry while reducing skimming and fraud on these devices. The company's products are mainly used in ATMs and other payment terminals. It raised an undisclosed investment from Constantia New Business, which became the main shareholder alongside bm|t, while seed investor High‑Tech‑Gründerfonds II sold its shares profitably. siOPTICA intends to use the funds to extend its product portfolio of switchable privacy filters and to move its products into new markets. No revenue or user metrics were disclosed in the article. siOPTICA offers proprietary secretive filter technologies designed to screen data from unauthorized views, primarily for payment terminals and ATMs. The company positions its filter generation for use across Banking, Retail and payment-terminal environments as well as logistics and secure-access applications. On the midterm it intends to address the consumer market for PIN/TAN/password entry on mobile devices. siOPTICA also plans to develop special optics for the automotive sector. The company raised an undisclosed funding round from High‑Tech Gründerfonds and will use the proceeds to launch its business. No revenue or user metrics were disclosed in the article.

Led · Series B · Oct 2018

Silicon Mobility designs and sells the OLEA® Field Programmable Control Unit (FPCU) and a supporting product suite (OLEA® COMPOSER, OLEA® LIB and OLEA® APP) targeted at electrified powertrains. Its products claim to increase energy efficiency of electrified powertrains by 50–70%, reduce bill of material by a factor of two, and shorten development cycles by months. The company positions its stack as an alternative to legacy software-based semiconductors built for gas vehicles, aiming to unlock greater power control and data processing for EVs and hybrids. Customers include Tier‑1 automotive manufacturers and OEMs; the company says it is engaged with partners globally and in full production. Silicon Mobility is headquartered in Sophia Antipolis, France, with offices in Silicon Valley and Munich. Management cites plans for geographic expansion, product innovation and ramping production to meet customer demand.

Led · Series B · Sep 2018

Silicon Line develops and manufactures ultra-low-power optical link integrated circuits and modules that enable thin, lightweight, long high-speed cables and low-cost, high-volume assembly of active optical cables. The company supplies consumer electronics as well as commercial and industrial applications. It plans to use the new funding to ramp up production of its optical modules, upgrade its module factory in Hasselt, Belgium, hire additional design engineers and open local customer support offices in Asia. The round increased the company’s total funding to €23m. Led by CEO Ruud van der Linden, Silicon Line was founded in 2005 and is based in Munich with offices in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and the United States. Silicon Line develops ultra-low power optical link ICs (VCSEL drivers and TIAs) and integrated Optical Sub Assembly (OSA) solutions for multi-gigabit video, image, voice and data transport. Its product portfolio ranges from single-channel to four-channel drivers and TIAs with speeds from 20 Mbps to 12.5 Gbps and includes dedicated solutions for USB 3.0/3.1, HDMI 1.4/2.0, DisplayPort 1.3 and MIPI D-PHY. The company announced it raised €6.3 million from new and existing investors to finance the build-up of volume OSA manufacturing at the Corda Campus in Hasselt, Belgium. Management says the funds will accelerate implementation of next-generation high-speed optical connections needed for VR, IoT and 4K/8K displays and support industrialization and platform broadening. The capital is also intended to increase the company’s international expansion and market presence in the EU, China and the US where the company expects rapid sales growth. Silicon Line positions its ultra-low power consumption as a competitive advantage for consumer, datacom/telecom, industrial, security and medical applications.

Participated · Equity · Apr 2015

Movidius develops low-power accelerated computer-vision processors that power devices such as Google’s Tango tablet and other consumer products. Its processors target applications including drones and VR/AR (positional and eye tracking) where low latency and power efficiency are critical. The company says its products will appear in a number of consumer devices from well-known brands and is working with three of the five main head‑mounted display manufacturers. Movidius has offices in Silicon Valley, Ireland and Romania. With the new funding it plans to push R&D, hire more engineers, and improve the software tools that help developers utilize its vision processors; the next version of its processor is coming soon. Management expects to focus on high‑growth markets and compete on a combination of price, performance and power while largely avoiding the long lead times of automotive vision. Movidius is a San Mateo, CA-based company that develops a low-power, multi-core architecture and accompanying software for imaging and computer vision on mobile devices. Its technology targets applications such as post-capture refocusing, high-quality zoom, augmented reality simulation, gaze- or gesture-based user interfaces, advanced location-based services, and 3D modeling and scanning for printing. The company is led by CEO Remi El-Ouazzane. Movidius raised $16m in a Series D funding round. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate product development and to build its presence and R&D team in Silicon Valley. It has established new U.S. headquarters in Silicon Valley. Movidius develops the Myriad platform — a low-power processor and application software stack that enables advanced multimedia features on mobile devices, including real-time video editing, 3D mobile video and high-quality video enhancements. The company’s technology targets next-generation mobile handsets by improving imaging capabilities and video download bandwidth utilization. Movidius is transitioning from development to product deployment and plans mass production later in 2010. Handsets embedding its products were expected to reach market in early 2011. The company also operates offices in Hong Kong and a software development centre in Romania. The new funding will support growth and initial high-volume production of Myriad-based products.