{"671302":{"#nid":"671302","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Semiconductor Company Falcomm Raises $4M in Seed Funding to Advance Ultra-Efficient Power Amplifiers, Hires Industry Leaders","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.squadra.vc\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESquadra Ventures\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E led the round with participation from Cambium Capital, Draper Cygnus, and the Georgia Tech Foundation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFalcomm is built on breakthroughs made over six years in the lab of founder and CEO Edgar Garay to revolutionize the power amplifier, a semiconductor found in devices from satellites to IoT to cellphones, that conditions and blasts the 1s and 0s from software through an antenna. Falcomm\u2019s Dual-Drive PA combines ultra-efficient performance with an architecture that lends itself to production at scale.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cPower amplifiers are the workhorse of the modern electronic era, but improvement to this technology hasn\u2019t kept pace with the rise of the innovation economy,\u201d said Garay, who holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, where he conducted the research that led to the formation of his startup.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cFalcomm\u2019s ultra-efficient, silicon-proven technology will bring advances in power and efficiency to the semiconductor industry that help communications manufacturers to realize massive efficiency gains, while lowering costs. With urgent challenges in the environment and supply chain, we can\u2019t wait another 90 years for change.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWith simultaneous transmission at each terminal of a transistor, the Dual-Drive PA delivers performance that is 1.8 times more efficient at 2 times higher power, with half of the silicon area requirements of traditional power amplifiers. For manufacturers, these gains will reduce thermal management and energy costs, while easing overall system requirements.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA patented architectural design allows the product to be manufactured in high volume by semiconductor foundries in the United States. With fabless technology, the company is poised to grow a network of industry partners that catalyzes expansion in the $23 billion power amplifier market.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBorn in Venezuela, Garay developed a passion for using science and engineering to solve problems while repairing machinery on a farm in his hometown. While pursuing doctoral studies at Georgia Tech, he recognized the opportunity to bring innovation to the power amplifier, which had not changed in decades despite the rapid advance of technology and its critical role in devices.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGaray\u2019s research resulted in multiple patents, spurring him to spin out the technology and create Falcomm through assistance from Georgia Tech resources, including\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECREATE-X\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. Falcomm is the first company to receive investment from the Georgia Tech Foundation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is proud to support our academic innovators to help them ensure their inventions have real-world impact,\u201d said Raghupathy Sivakumar, Georgia Tech\u2019s vice president of Commercialization and chief commercialization officer. \u201cThe Office of Commercialization is rapidly expanding our programs and initiatives to build out the largest and most robust entrepreneurial ecosystem at any public university. I am happy to say that Falcomm is the recipient of the first equity investment out of our new Research Impact Fund targeted specifically at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/17\/georgia-tech-students-microchip-startup-reduces-energy-waste-amplifies-power\u0022\u003Espinouts based on Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;intellectual property.\u0022\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe Falcomm team was recently bolstered by the addition of pioneering industry leaders who have demonstrated a track record of innovation in telecommunications, wireless, and semiconductors:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThomas Cameron, Ph.D., chief strategy officer,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eis a 35-year veteran of technology research and development in the wireless industry. During a 12-year stint at Analog Devices, Cameron served as chief technology officer of the Communications Business Unit and was a leading evangelist for the adoption of 5G connectivity. He held leadership and engineering roles in the RF industry at Bell Northern Research, Nortel, Sirenza Microdevices, and WJ Communications. Cameron has seven patents in wireless technology and has authored numerous papers and technical articles.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENed Cahoon, director of Foundry and Customer Relationships,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ebrings more than 20 years of RF business development experience across the mobile and wireless infrastructure industries. He helped to stand up IBM\u2019s $1 billion RF business before joining GlobalFoundries in 2016, where he served as a fellow in the office of the chief technology officer. A senior design and go-to-market leader, Cahoon brings experience building networks across foundries, academia, and technology companies.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor Falcomm, the funding follows quickly on the heels of the company\u2019s selection to the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 in 2023. The company is a graduate of the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pr-inside.com\/berkeley-skydeck-accelerator-presents-batch-12-startups-at-demo-day-r4848718.htm\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBerkeley SkyDeck Accelerator\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/qualcomm-sponsoring-evonexus-incubator-demo-day-june-26th-2023-301845503.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEvoNexus incubator\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBringing innovation to the tiny power amplifier can have a massive impact on some of the nation\u2019s most pressing challenges. The energy efficiency gains resulting from an increase in power output come at a time of growing urgency around climate change. The ability to manufacture domestically comes at a time when nearshoring is a priority to address cost and supply chain challenges underscored by the global semiconductor shortage and resulting CHIPS Act.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cEdgar and his team are just as inspiring as they are hard-working. They have shown that it\u2019s possible to assemble the talent and operations to innovate on a foundational technology that hasn\u2019t seen meaningful advances in decades anywhere in the country,\u201d said Guy Filippelli, Squadra Ventures\u2019 managing partner. \u201cBy boosting efficiency and manufacturing domestically in the critical semiconductor industry, Falcomm\u2019s innovations will bolster American competitiveness.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe funding will be used to accelerate go-to-market activities with satellite companies and wireless infrastructure manufacturers, advance the company\u2019s patented technology, and expand the team. Falcomm is actively hiring for roles in operations, engineering, and design.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/apply.workable.com\/falcomm\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EView job openings\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EATLANTA\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EBALTIMORE\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003E\u2014\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/myfalcomm.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFalcomm\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, the semiconductor company providing ultra-efficient power amplifiers to the wireless communications market, announced that it has raised $4 million in seed funding and hired two industry leaders to accelerate the development of its next-generation Dual-Drive PA and expand its network of hardware manufacturers.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Seed round includes four investor partners"}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2023-11-29 18:44:24","changed_gmt":"2023-12-05 17:39:43","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672474":{"id":"672474","type":"image","title":"Edgar Garay.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEdgar Garay is CEO and founder of Falcomm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1701288041","gmt_created":"2023-11-29 20:00:41","changed":"1701288041","gmt_changed":"2023-11-29 20:00:41","alt":"Edgar Garay headshot","file":{"fid":"255713","name":"Edgar Garay.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/29\/Edgar%20Garay_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/29\/Edgar%20Garay_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1787708,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/29\/Edgar%20Garay_0.jpeg?itok=uOokjybN"}}},"media_ids":["672474"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"189594","name":"Falcomm"},{"id":"4193","name":"venturelab"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFor Falcomm:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nStephen Babcock,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:stephen@squadra.vc\u0022\u003Estephen@squadra.vc\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFor Georgia Tech:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nP\u00e9ralte C. Paul\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nperalte@gatech.edu\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404.316.1210\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}