Led · Equity · Dec 2014

Quantenna develops ultra-high performance Wi‑Fi semiconductor and system software solutions for carriers and retail OEMs. The company has shipped tens of millions of Wi‑Fi chipsets that are deployed by tier-one telecom, cable and satellite providers including AT&T, DirecTV, Orange and Telefonica, and by numerous retail OEMs. Earlier this year Quantenna unveiled what it described as the world’s first 10G Wi‑Fi technology for access points, featuring an architecture enabling up to 8x8 MIMO, throughput and capacity up to 10 Gbps, and universal support for MU‑MIMO clients. The company says the 10G Wi‑Fi delivers high capacity and performance while minimizing spectrum usage to maximize geo-capacity. Quantenna will use the newly raised funds to expand its investment in technology and customer success as it scales through accelerating growth. Quantenna is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices worldwide. Quantenna develops standards-based 802.11n and 802.11ac 4x4 MIMO chipsets that aim to deliver high performance, coverage, and wire-like reliability for whole-home video and other demanding applications. The company positions its 4x4 MIMO chipsets as the only commercially available solution for ultra-high reliability, carrier-grade video distribution in both managed and over-the-top architectures. Its chipsets have been integrated into products from vendors including AirTies, Amper, Datasat Technologies, Gemtek, Motorola, Netgear, Sagemcom, Sigma Designs, Swisscom, Technicolor and Telefónica. Quantenna is pursuing 40- and 28-nanometer process technology for next-generation products and plans to accelerate new product development as it enters new market segments. The company will use funding to expand its engineering and service organizations to support growing deployments worldwide. Quantenna also plans to expand its presence in Russia, including opening a Russian subsidiary and collaborating with local engineering schools. Quantenna Communications is a semiconductor chip maker. Its technology is used to support the deployment of video services to the home. Telefónica Ventures, the investment arm of Telefónica Digital, has made an equity investment in the company. The investment was made so Telefónica can gain access to Quantenna's latest technology. Telefónica is a Spanish broadband and telecom company. The deal positions Quantenna to work with a major operator on home video-service deployments. Quantenna develops semiconductor chips that let consumers wirelessly stream HD video to home devices. Its technology improves data transfer speeds to about 100 megabits per second over 100–150 feet, enabling reliable Netflix and game streaming and multi-room DVR playback. Quantenna's chips are used by Swisscom in Switzerland and the company will sell chips directly to consumers through Netgear. Management is in talks with U.S. service providers and hopes to finalize multiple deals within a year. The company is primarily focused on consumer applications now but plans to explore enterprise opportunities in 2011. Quantenna expects to see "substantial revenue" early next year and has raised more than $80 million to date. Quantenna develops 802.11n-compatible Wi‑Fi radio chipsets that use MIMO 4×4, dynamic digital beam‑forming and wireless channel monitoring to improve signal robustness and throughput. The company reports measured through‑wall performance of 145 Mbps at 60 feet (one wall) and 83 Mbps at 170 feet (six walls), outperforming typical rival solutions. Quantenna plans to move production from a 90‑nanometer process to a more efficient 65‑nanometer process and to get its chips into mass production. The company was founded in 2006, has about 60 employees, and says it will ship its first chips by the end of the year. Management expects to generate several million dollars in revenue in the current year as it begins shipments. To date the startup has raised almost $60 million in prior financings.