CopperGate Communications

About CopperGate Communications

Established in 2000, CopperGate Communications Ltd. was a Tel Aviv-based system-on-chip (SoC) company that developed and marketed chipsets for the home networking and broadband access markets. The firm specialized in enabling the distribution and networking of triple-play services—such as video, voice, and data—over a residence's existing wiring, including coaxial cables, phone lines, and power lines. Its primary clients were service providers deploying high-definition IPTV, multi-room DVRs, and video-on-demand services.

CopperGate's product portfolio was centered around its proprietary CopperStream™ technology, which delivered data rates up to 320 Mbps. The company was a proponent of standards-based home networking, offering solutions for both HomePNA (Home Phoneline Networking Alliance) and HomePlug technologies. A significant development in its product capability came in 2008 when CopperGate acquired the HomePlug AV power line business from Conexant, making it one of the first semiconductor companies to offer home networking solutions across all three types of existing home wiring.

Throughout its operation, CopperGate raised a total of $18 million in funding over two rounds. Its most significant funding was a Series C round on November 22, 2005, which raised $14.5 million from investors including Challenge Fund - Etgar, Tamir Fishman, Viola Group, and TechnoPlus Ventures. The company's trajectory culminated on October 13, 2009, when it was acquired by Sigma Designs, Inc. for approximately $160 million in a cash and stock transaction. The acquisition was a strategic move by Sigma Designs to strengthen its offerings in the networked home entertainment market by integrating CopperGate's home networking chipset capabilities. At the time of the acquisition, Gabi Hilevitz was the President and CEO of CopperGate. Following the acquisition, CopperGate became a subsidiary of Sigma Designs.