Seed investment readies Pharrowtech for growth in mm-wave arena

The investment round, led by Imec.Xpand and Bloc Ventures with participation from Imec and KBC’s Focus Fund, will allow it to further enhance its products’ capabilities and prepare for high-volume production ramp-up aimed at fixed wireless access, 5G, AR/VR and other bandwidth-demanding, wireless applications. To accelerate the upcoming growth phase, Pieter Vorenkamp, former SVP at Broadcom and Cadence, has joined as independent chairman of the new board.

Pharrowtech has been spun out of Imec, where the team led IP generation and prototype development in wireless subsystems, encompassing all analog and RF circuits, as well as phased-array antennas and related electronic components. Wim Van Thillo, Pharrowtech CEO and co-founder, says: “Early 2018, we identified the emerging millimeter-wave business opportunity with a leading operator and telco equipment vendor. During the past year, we’ve been focused on taking the widely-recognized IP developed at Imec with contributions from Vrije Universiteit Brussel from a development prototype into a fixed wireless access system demonstrator. We’re now ready for the next phase.”

“My 18 years at Broadcom provide me a unique insight into what’s required to outperform incumbent players and I’m confident we’ll achieve this with the Pharrowtech team,” comments Vorenkamp. David Leftley, co-founder and CTO of Bloc Ventures, adds: “We believe Pharrowtech, with a world-leading RF semiconductor team, is uniquely positioned to succeed in the mm-wave space – a key area of growth for the sector in the coming years.” Peter Vanbekbergen, partner at Imec.Xpand: “We’re convinced that the Pharrowtech team, also thanks to the close cooperation with Imec, has all the tools, skills and expertise to disrupt the FWA market.”

Source: Bits&Chips
Picture: Pharrowtech