26 June 2012

Gaas Labs acquires GaN-on-Si RF power transistor maker Nitronex

Silicon Valley-based Gaas Labs LLC, a private investment fund targeting the communications semiconductor market, has acquired privately held Nitronex Corp of Durham, NC, USA, which designs and makes gallium nitride (GaN)-based RF power transistors for the defense, communications, cable TV, and industrial & scientific markets.

Founded in 1999, Nitronex provides gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) semiconductor solutions using its proprietary SIGANTIC manufacturing process, which combines the superior power, efficiency and bandwidth performance of GaN with the reliability, ease of use and low-cost advantages of industry-standard silicon substrates.

Led by industry veteran John Ocampo, Gaas Labs is focused on providing financing and operational expertise to help grow companies addressing communications semiconductor and related markets. The firm partners with entrepreneurs and management teams to increase portfolio companies' growth and profitability.

“We are excited to add Nitronex, a leading innovator in GaN-based RF solutions, to our portfolio of RF semiconductor companies,” says Gaas Labs’ co-founder & president John Ocampo. “We look forward to helping Nitronex further leverage its products and technologies and extend its RF market leadership.”

Prior to creating Gaas Labs, Ocampo co-founded Sirenza Microdevices Inc of Broomfield, CO, USA (a diversified supplier of RF semiconductors and related components for the commercial communications, consumer and aerospace, defense & homeland security markets), serving at various times in key roles including president & CEO, chief technology officer, and chairman. After leading Sirenza through an IPO and eventual sale to RF Micro Devices Inc of Greensboro, NC in 2007, Ocampo served on RFMD’s board of directors.

In 2009, Gaas Labs acquired M/A-COM Technology Solutions Inc of Lowell, MA, USA (a supplier of semiconductors, components and subassemblies for use in RF, microwave and millimeter-wave applications). Subsequently, in mid-2010, M/A-COM Tech acquired Mimix Broadband Inc of Houston, TX, USA.

“John Ocampo and Gaas Labs have demonstrated their ability to build and develop companies that realize their full growth potential,” comments Nitronex’s CEO Charles Shalvoy. “Partnering with Gaas Labs is an important milestone for Nitronex, which will enable us to deliver greater value to our customers in the rapidly growing, high-performance GaN RF power device market,” he believes. “We are thrilled to continue advancing our GaN-on-silicon technology and expanding our market presence with Gaas Labs’ backing and the aid of their strategic and operational expertise.”

Tags: Gaas Labs Nitronex GaN GaN-on-Si RF power transistors

Visit: www.nitronex.com

Visit: www.gaaslabs.net