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§ Private Profile · San Jose, CA, USA
Semiconductor company designing ultra-low power Wi-Fi chips, software, and modules for IoT connectivity in smart energy.
Based in San Jose, California, GainSpan is a semiconductor organization that designs and markets ultra low power wireless chips, software, and embedded modules for device connectivity. The company provides hardware and software solutions that enable sensors and microcontrollers to connect to the internet with minimal power consumption, supporting extended battery life for applications across the healthcare, smart energy, commercial, and industrial sectors. Operating with an estimated 51 to 200 employees, the business generates between $25 million and $100 million in annual revenue. Prior to its eventual acquisition, the enterprise raised $67.5 million in total venture funding and integrated its semiconductor products with real time operating systems from Green Hills Software. Originally operating under the name Emphany Systems, GainSpan was founded in 2006 by a core engineering team that officially spun off from Intel Corporation.
GainSpan has raised $83.0M across 5 funding rounds.
GainSpan has raised $83.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
GainSpan has raised $83.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $19.0M Series D in June 2013.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2013 | $19M Series D | — | Shasta Ventures, CampVentures, Hatteras Funds, Intel Capital, NEW Venture Partners, JOE LIU, Opus Capital, Sigma Partners, Phil Gerskovich | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2012 | $7M Series U | — | Shasta Ventures | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2012 | $19M Series U | — | Shasta Ventures | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2011 | $18M Series C | — | Shasta Ventures, CampVentures, Hatteras Funds, IN Q TEL, Intel Capital, Mobile Internet Capital, NEW Venture Partners, Opus Capital, Sigma Partners | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2007 | $20M Series B | — | Shasta Ventures | Announced |
GainSpan has raised $83.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
GainSpan's investors include Shasta Ventures, CampVentures, Hatteras Funds, Intel Capital, New Venture Partners, Joe Liu, Opus Capital, Sigma Partners, Phil Gerskovich, In-Q-Tel, Mobile Internet Capital.
GainSpan is a semiconductor company that develops ultra-low power Wi-Fi chips, modules, and software for embedding wireless connectivity into battery-powered IoT devices.[1][2][3] It serves markets like healthcare, smart energy, home automation, industrial monitoring, and consumer products such as thermostats, door locks, security cameras, and heart rate monitors, solving the challenge of enabling long battery life in Wi-Fi connected devices through optimized power management and integrated networking stacks.[1][2][4][5] With over 1,000 customer projects and millions of units deployed globally, GainSpan accelerated IoT adoption by simplifying development with certified modules like the GS2000 SoC, which supports Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and 802.15.4 standards, until its acquisition by Telit in 2017 for $8 million.[2][3][5]
GainSpan was founded in September 2006 in San Jose, California, as a spin-off from Intel Corporation by engineers aiming to drastically reduce Wi-Fi power consumption for battery-operated applications.[2][3][4] The idea emerged from Intel's research into power-efficient wireless tech, positioning GainSpan as the first to optimize Wi-Fi chips with advanced management techniques for extended battery life.[2] Early milestones included the 2010 launch of the GS1011M Wi-Fi module under CEO Greg Winner, the 2013 GS2000 chip combining Wi-Fi and ZigBee IP, partnerships like Solem Electronique's irrigation systems in 2014, and integration into Ring's video doorbells in 2015.[2] Backed by investors including Intel Capital, Opus Capital, and Trinity Capital, it grew to over 90 employees across San Jose and Bangalore R&D centers before Telit acquired it in 2017 to bolster its IoT portfolio.[2][3][5]
GainSpan rode the early IoT wave, addressing the critical need for power-efficient wireless connectivity as billions of sensors and devices required internet access without frequent recharging.[1][3][4] Its timing was ideal amid the 2010s explosion of smart homes, healthcare wearables, and industrial IoT, where traditional Wi-Fi's high power drain limited adoption—GainSpan's innovations enabled battery-powered viability, influencing trends like sensor-to-cloud architectures.[2][5] Market forces favoring it included growing demand for standards-based Wi-Fi over proprietary protocols, plus investor interest from Intel Capital in corporate spinouts; post-acquisition, its IP strengthened Telit's end-to-end IoT offerings in building management, logistics, and beyond, contributing to the ecosystem by lowering barriers for developers and expanding low-power Wi-Fi in harsh environments.[2][5]
Under Telit Cinterion (now part of a broader IoT group), GainSpan's technology continues powering next-gen battery devices amid surging demand for edge AI, 5G-IoT hybrids, and sustainable connectivity.[5] Trends like Matter protocol standardization and ultra-low-power needs for massive IoT deployments (e.g., smart cities, precision agriculture) will amplify its legacy IP, potentially evolving through integrations with cellular and satellite tech. As IoT scales to 50 billion devices, GainSpan's focus on simplicity and efficiency positions Telit to influence reliable, long-life connectivity, circling back to its roots in transforming everyday objects into intelligent, wirelessly linked systems.[3][4]