Mobility on the rise: $21 million invested in two WiFi-based startups

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Two WiFi-based startups have been recently funded.

First: Ekahau, for $16 million ($12 million in Series B equity funding and $4 million of venture loans and government funding, according to the release). The Finnish small company has been developing softwares and hardwares to support tracking and locating items within a WiFi network (via alarm:clock). They target healthcare market, but we guess such a system might become a new replacement candidate to global positioning system.

Second: TalkPlus, for $5.5 million from investing firm Menlo Ventures. TalkPlus, located in San Mateo, California, relies on their proprietary technology to supply VoIP service to cellphones over WiFi networks. Like its competitor Talkster, a Canada startup introduced in our podcast, TalkPlus doesn’t require using a computer, downloading any software, or conducting disrupted call set-up processes. They’ll start their nationwide service in early 2007.

Nov 1, 2006 | By Nuno

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