CEO & co-founder of Pharrowtech, Wim Van Thillo | Image credit: Pharrowtech
Leuven, Belgium-based Pharrowtech, a company that designs and develops millimetre wave (mmWave) hardware and software for next-generation wireless applications, announced on Thursday that it has raised €15M in its Series A round of funding.
The round was led by Innovation Industries, a Netherlands-based VC fund that invests in deeptech, medtech and agrifood tech. The round also saw participation from Seed round investors imec.xpand, Bloc Ventures, and KBC Focus Fund.
Peter Vanbekbergen, Partner at imec.xpand, says, “Pharrowtech is a prime example of how a product-focused imec spin-off can accelerate the introduction of advanced technologies into the marketplace. This investment supports this accelerated market introduction and will in addition strengthen the strategic positioning of Pharrowtech in the wireless ecosystem. We are proud to support Pharrowtech to become a world-class player in this ecosystem.”
The raised capital will help Pharrowtech to accelerate the deployment of its recently launched 60 GHz CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) PTR1060 and phased array antenna Radio-Frequency Module (RFM) PTM1060 for 5G unlicensed fixed wireless access, wireless infrastructure, and consumer applications.
The funds will also be utilised to ensure “best in class” customer support, expand operations in the US, and grow its engineering and business teams to drive product roadmap and accelerate growth.
CEO and co-founder of Pharrowtech, Wim Van Thillo, says, “Despite the challenges brought by a global pandemic, Pharrowtech was able to move rapidly from imec R&D Prototypes in 2019 to scale up production of an advanced 60 GHz RF solution by 2022. With the next phase of our growth underway, we are committed to providing RF solutions to multi-GHz links to enable low-cost infrastructure and consumer applications.”
Digital transformation and high-speed internet connectivity has become a crucial asset. Various economic and geographic factors are leading governments and corporations to seek solutions that can bridge the digital divide and provide ultrafast connectivity. This is where Pharrowtech steps in.
Founded in 2018 by Carl De Ranter, Wim Van Thillo, Guerric de Streel, Khaled Khalaf, and Qixian Shi, Pharrowtech designs sub-systems for 60GHz licence-free operations. Due to its greater capacity and lower latency, this frequency range is important for applications such as remote working and learning, augmented and virtual reality, and entertainment and gaming.
The company says, “We have created the first high performance, low-cost carrier-grade radio frequency (RF) chip for the Wireless Infrastructure market, delivering the same reliable and robust service as wired alternatives. Our technology enables high-speed internet in urban, suburban and rural locations alike, at a fraction of the roll-out cost and deployment time of fibre.”
Network operators are looking at outdoor Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions as the effective and economical solution to deliver the required gigabit-per-second speeds link to consumers. Also, due to the increasing capabilities of 5G radio base stations, mobile operators are deploying millimetre wave solutions to meet the demand for backhaul network architectures for macro and high-density small cell deployments.
Building on imec’s R&D and prototypes, Pharrowtech recently announced the availability of the PTR1060, the world’s first IEEE 802.11ay-compliant CMOS RF chip for indoor and outdoor wireless use cases that supports the full 57 to 71 GHz bandwidth.
The company also launched PTM1060 (RFM) phased array antenna modules to provide OEM/ODMs with a ready-to-use 60GHz solution. The integration levels, performance, and capabilities of Pharrowtech’s latest RFIC open the full potential of low-cost, small form factor and low-power FWA deployments, 5G and WiFi infrastructure backhauling, next-generation consumer electronics products, and IoT devices requiring high-speed links.
The programming interfaces and tunable features of the chip and antenna allow for optimal integration by equipment makers.
Both products are currently available to select customers and are being designed-in by a tier-one US equipment vendor. The company is also providing demonstrations and evaluation kits to consumers and will ramp up production in Q3 2022.
28apr(apr 28)12:13 31may(may 31)12:13 Featured Applications for Techleap.nl’s Rise Batch 8 are open now
Are you an ambitious scaleup operating out of the Netherlands? Accelerate your growth with Techleap.nl’s Rise programme. Join their Batch #8!
Are you an ambitious scaleup operating out of the Netherlands? Accelerate your growth with Techleap.nl’s Rise programme. Join their Batch #8!
Rise is an exclusive programme for serious tech players. In a trusted environment, scaleup founders share and discuss their growth challenges during tailor-made sessions with experienced entrepreneurs and scaling experts. Every quarter we select 10 companies to join the programme. It’s free, and we don’t seek equity. Check now if your company is eligible!
Techleap.nl’s programmes connect founders with scaling icons, industry experts and fellow tech entrepreneurs. It’s your chance to share challenges and hurdles with peers and established CEOs, and as a result, create favourable growth conditions for your business and overcome looming obstacles on your entrepreneurial path.
If you have any questions about the programme or the application process, please contact the Rise Batch Manager – Peter-Jan Kok at [email protected] .
April 28 (Thursday) 12:13 - May 31 (Tuesday) 12:13
12mayAll Day 13 Featured EU-Startups Summit
The EU-Startups Summit is an exclusive in-person event which showcases many of Europe’s hottest startups and where people
The EU-Startups Summit is an exclusive in-person event which showcases many of Europe’s hottest startups and where people are coming together to learn from some of the most successful European entrepreneurs of our time. Ready for two days of networking, inspiration and learning?
The EU-Startups Summit 2022 will gather over 1,500 founders, startup enthusiasts, corporates, angel investors, VCs, and media from across Europe. The two-day event is a great opportunity for networking (with a dedicated networkink app), and a meeting point for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors who are aiming to build international tech companies. We’ll have fireside chats with internationally successful founders, insightful keynotes, and an exciting pitch competition with the finals happening on our main stage with 15 startup teams – selected from about 2,000 applicants!
Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina
19may13:30 18:00 Featured 5th Tech Summit: Get Ready for Exponential International Growth
The Tech Summit yearly attracts >100 SaaS executives and PE/VC investors from all over the Netherlands. Several presentations and break-outs are filled with actionable thought leadership. Networking breaks
The Tech Summit yearly attracts >100 SaaS executives and PE/VC investors from all over the Netherlands. Several presentations and break-outs are filled with actionable thought leadership. Networking breaks allow participants to connect with industry peers, exchange best practices and have a good time.
For more information and to register for the summit, please click here.
Gustav Mahlerplein 1B, 1082 MS Amsterdam, Netherlands
16junAll Day 17 Featured TNW Conference
Join TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 16 & 17 to all you need to know about the latest market killers and breakout tech, connect with the industry’s who’s-who, and
Join TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 16 & 17 to all you need to know about the latest market killers and breakout tech, connect with the industry’s who’s-who, and turn your business meetings upside down on our ferris wheel… With endless networking opportunities, the world’s boldest voices, and unrivaled party vibes, this year’s TNW Conference will be off the charts!
Taets Art and Events Park
Silicon Canals 2014-2022 | Website: Bright Idiots
Silicon Canals 2014-2022 | Website: Bright Idiots
To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.