By Julie Bort
Altair Semiconductor: $124 million raised
Altair Semiconductor
Altair Semiconductor makes chips that connect mobile devices to 4G data networks.
Because Altair’s chips don’t support 3G at all, only 4G, it can make its chips far cheaper, $30 compared to $80 to $90 range for typical 3G/4G ones, cofounder Eran Eshed told VentureBeat.
The lack of 3G support hasn’t stopped the company from acquiring customers. More than 30 device makers are using Altair’s chip in over 80 mobile devices including tablets, smartphones, USB dongles and portable hotspots.