Ozmo Devices

About Ozmo Devices

Ozmo Devices, originally established as H-Stream Wireless in 2004 by founders Katelijn Vleugels and Roel Peeters, carved a niche in the semiconductor industry by focusing on power-efficient wireless connectivity. The company was a key developer of silicon and software solutions for Wi-Fi Personal Area Networks (WPANs), specifically targeting battery-operated consumer electronics. Its business model centered on designing and selling highly integrated, ultra-low power silicon solutions to original device manufacturers (ODMs) and consumer electronics companies.

The firm's core product was its OZMO2000 chip, a solution engineered to enable Wi-Fi Direct connectivity for peripherals like wireless mice, keyboards, and remote controls. This technology allowed devices to connect directly to Wi-Fi-enabled platforms, such as notebooks running Windows 7, without the need for a separate dongle or access point, a significant advantage over existing connectivity options like Bluetooth. The key benefit was overcoming the traditional trade-offs between battery life, cost, and compatibility that had previously limited the use of Wi-Fi in human interface devices (HID). The technology was designed to be compatible with the then-emerging Wi-Fi Direct standard, positioning the company at the forefront of this new connectivity wave.

The company's focus on ultra-low power solutions was a critical differentiator, enabling long battery life in small form-factor devices, a crucial requirement for its target market. Ozmo Devices was one of the founding companies of the Wi-Fi Peer-to-Peer Technical Specification, which became the basis for Wi-Fi Direct. Supported by substantial venture capital funding from firms including Intel Capital, Granite Ventures, and Atlantic Bridge, Ozmo Devices successfully raised a total of $36.8M over several rounds. In a strategic move to bolster its portfolio for the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) market, Atmel Corporation acquired Ozmo Devices in December 2012. This acquisition integrated Ozmo's Wi-Fi Direct technology into Atmel's broader suite of microcontroller and wireless products, which were later subsumed by Microchip Technology's acquisition of Atmel in 2016.