Mobilian Corp. is a fabless, semiconductor company in the wireless networking technology spectrum, and the vision of co-founders Rabindra Roy (Chief Technology Strategist), Brett Monello (Operations VP) and Manpreet Khaira (CEO and Chairman). It was founded in 1999 to address the increasing market demand for wireless internet connectivity. Mobilian designs and develops analog and digital integrated circuits and software solutions for standards-based wireless data communications. It is based in Hillsboro, OR, and in addition to its northwest headquarters, the company has a design facility in San Diego, CA.

Mobilian is a privately held, independent, 100-employee company with estimated annual sales of $13 million (2001 figures), which include sales from international business. Eight months ago, Mobilian announced the availability of the world's first combination Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chipset, the hallmark of its product line. Very briefly, Bluetooth is a technology specification that links wireless devices for short-range transmission of voice and data across a global radio frequency band without the need for cables or wires. Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or 802.11 is a type of radio technology used for wireless local area networks (WLANs), and is composed of several standards operating in different radio frequencies. From a purely consumer perspective, "Wi-Fi is freedom, at speeds several times faster than the fastest cable modem connection, allowing a wireless connection to the internet from your couch at home, a bed in a hotel room or a conference room at work," according to Wi-Fi Alliance www.weca.net.

Various analysts have predicted though, that WLAN internet access from public hotspots such as cafés and airports will not be the "next big thing." Reasons include WLAN confusion among road warriors in Europe and a soft ROI, according to Forrester Research. (Simultaneous availability of four 802.11 standards - 802.11a, b, g and h and high recurring costs combined with marginal revenues for a limited-bandwidth upstream-connection is expected to keep users away).

Mobilian believes that Bluetooth will be complementary, not competitive, to Wi-Fi because they are both optimized for different functions. As wireless technologies become ubiquitous, it will be increasingly important for computing and communication devices to have the ability to automatically detect available networking opportunities, select the best one(s) for its communication needs, and connect to it seamlessly and reliably. This ability, to seamlessly "detect, select, and connect," is what Mobilian calls the TrueConnectivity™ vision, as defined on the company website. As a business, Mobilian possesses a formidable barrier to entry in the form of a 20-patent IP portfolio in key fundamental wireless technology areas.

Among Mobilian's honors are the Wireless Systems Design 2002 Industry Awards for Best Wireless Technology and inclusion in SiliconIndia's si100 (siliconindia magazine's annual list of the top 100 companies founded and managed by Asian Indians). Co-founder Manpreet is an industry-recognized expert in VLSI design and management. When he left Intel Corp. to found Mobilian, he was a principal engineer and director of an advanced design technology group at Intel. He founded the group and grew it to one of the largest and most prolific advanced design technology groups in the semiconductor industry. Manpreet earned a B.S. (computer science and engineering) from IIT-Kharagpur, and an M.S. (computer science) from Carnegie-Mellon University. His accolades include the distinguished President of India Gold Medal for academic excellence, seven patents and 20 publications. Manpreet also serves as an advisor to several other startups.

If a start-up's success is measured not just by its ability to create and build upon a sustainable business model but also by its financial wherewithal, then Mobilian is the epitome of triumph, without even announcing its first customer or reaching profitability. To date, the company has secured over $70 million in venture capital, from investors such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Raza Venture Management, JAFCO Ventures, Dell Ventures and Morgan Stanley, among others.