Motorola Ventures and T-Online Ventures have invested $16 million in Wi-Fi
technology from Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Ruckus Wireless.
The funds point to Ruckus leading the charge toward a wirelessly connected home.
“Being able to attract such world-class companies is the ultimate seal of
approval that we are in the right place at the right time,” Selina Lo,
president and CEO of Ruckus Wireless, said in a statement.
The news increases total investment to $30 million in the wireless company.
Ruckus said the latest funding will be used to increase production, sales
and marketing worldwide.
Founded in 2004, Ruckus technology focuses on “smart” Wi-Fi home systems.
The company’s MediaFlex Wi-Fi router can transfer digital video signals, an
ability the most recent investors see as attractive.
Motorola said its investment indicates a confidence that Ruckus can deliver
higher-quality Wi-Fi, something required as more and more digital content is
moved through the home, Warren Holtsberg, Motorola’s corporate vice
president of equity investments, said in a statement.
Ruckus Wireless is the only company to have “truly addressed the problem of
moving multimedia around the home without new wiring,” Petra Buchholz, fund
manager for T-Online Venture Fund, said.
Motorola and T-Online could join the more than 75 broadband providers using
MediaFlex. The company said its newest product, MediaFlex NG, allows
providers for the first time to remotely view and manage home Wi-Fi networks.