WaveConnex

About WaveConnex

WaveConnex, founded in 2009, was a fabless semiconductor company that operated under the name Keyssa starting in 2014 before its acquisition by Molex in 2021. The company originated from foundational research conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) by Dr. Frank Chang and one of his students. Their work focused on using the 60 GHz millimeter-wave band for a new type of solid-state, wireless connector to overcome the physical and electromagnetic limitations of traditional metallic connectors. Ira Deyhimy is also listed as a founder. In 2012, Eric Almgren, with a background in semiconductors and connectivity, was brought in as CEO, and he rebranded the company to Keyssa.

The firm specialized in designing and producing ultra-high-speed, close-range wireless connectivity solutions for the consumer and industrial electronics sectors. Its business model centered on providing these embedded, solid-state components to device manufacturers. This addressed the market's need for faster data transfer and sleeker product designs by eliminating the need for physical ports. Clients included manufacturers in mobile/gaming, displays, automotive, industrial automation, medical robotics, and data centers.

The core product, branded as "Kiss Connectivity," enabled extremely fast data and video transfer between devices simply by touching them together. This technology is protocol-agnostic, meaning it could work with various data transmission standards, and aimed to solve issues of reliability, size, and electromagnetic interference common with physical connectors. The technology required expertise across multiple engineering disciplines, including high-speed analog, RF protocols, and material science. The company generated over 250 patents and raised more than $130 million from investors, including Intel, Samsung, and Foxconn, before being acquired by Molex, a major connector manufacturer.