News | January 24, 2005

Chipcon Acquires Zigbee Software Provider Figure 8 Wireless

Source: Chipcon AS

Oslo, Norway -- Chipcon AS announced today that its parent company, the Chipcon Group ASA, has acquired Figure 8 Wireless, a provider of ZigBee ready software and firmware, in an all-stock transaction. The merger creates what the companies are calling a global 'one-stop' ZigBee solutions provider to deliver new device networking solutions.

"Over the course of our partnership in delivering ZigBee ready solutions for our RF transceivers, we developed a close working relationship with the Figure 8 team," Geir Forre, president and CEO of Chipcon AS, said. "Merging our two companies' activities will result in a tremendous enhancement in our software capabilities and will provide the resources to execute on our product strategy and ensure the success of the ZigBee standard and the company."

The combined company offers customers a full range of ZigBee-ready radios, software, development tools, and reference designs. In addition, the software capabilities of Figure 8 Wireless enhance Chipcon's current and future proprietary RF and standards-based solutions.

"Chipcon and Figure 8 offer a complete, highly integrated, and competitive 'one-stop' solution in the ZigBee wireless market," commented Glen Allmendinger, president of Harbor Research. "The merger delivers the powerful combination of wireless engineering and mesh networking expertise needed to achieve rapid deployment of ZigBee OEM products."

As a result of the merger, Figure 8 Wireless is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Chipcon Group ASA and will continue to focus on Zigbee solutions and support all current customers going forward. Chipcon and Figure 8 Wireless will have a common global presence for its one-stop Zigbee solution with direct sales and support operations in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Joe Markee will continue his role as president of Figure 8 Wireless, and Don Sturek will become CTO of software. In a separate move, Barry Rudolph, Figure 8's CFO and VP of business development, will become CFO of Chipcon Group ASA and will be located in Oslo, Norway.

Source: Chipcon