Tmytek Expands into Base Station Testing

TMYTEK has successfully completed a Series A+ funding round, securing approximately $10 million to further develop its offerings for streamlined 5G millimeter wave equipment testing. The company currently serves a diverse clientele, including major corporations like KDDI, SoftBank, and Fujitsu, as well as numerous research organizations. Looking ahead, the Taiwan-based startup intends to expand its operations to include the production and sale of its own base stations, positioning itself as a competitor to industry leaders such as Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, and Huawei. TMYTEK aims to leverage the knowledge it has acquired assisting others in 5G infrastructure development to establish what its CEO terms a “comprehensive 5G industrial ecosystem.”

This latest investment was spearheaded by Inventec, TMYTEK’s manufacturing collaborator and a prominent Taiwanese OEM, bringing the company’s total funding to $13.3 million. Additional investors in the round were Kenmec Material Engineering, ITEQ, Tamagawa Electronics, and Taiwan’s National Development Fund. Furthermore, TMYTEK recently participated in the SparkLabs Taipei accelerator program.

According to Founder and President Su-Wei Chang, the company is planning a Series B funding round to support the development and subsequent commercialization of its base station technology. In preparation for this venture, TMYTEK has joined the O-RAN Alliance, an organization established by leading telecommunications companies to promote greater interoperability in mobile networks and accelerate the adoption of new technologies.

Chang emphasized that TMYTEK’s location in Taiwan provides a significant strategic benefit. The nation’s economy heavily features 5G manufacturing, with export figures reaching unprecedented levels in the latter half of 2020, driven by demand for 5G-related equipment and technologies used in smartphones, self-driving vehicles, and smart devices.

TMYTEK president Su-Wei Chang demonstrating the XBeam

Chang, an alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, frequently encountered questions regarding his decision to base TMYTEK in Taiwan rather than the United States, where securing startup capital might have been simpler. However, he explained that being situated in Taiwan allows the company to be closer to key markets, notably Japan, which currently accounts for 30% of its revenue, and provides a strong base for expansion into the U.S. and European markets.

This location also offers a distinct advantage in terms of supply chain management. TMYTEK maintains manufacturing partnerships throughout Asia, including Inventec in Taiwan, alongside facilities in Vietnam, Thailand, and China. Chang stated that this diversified network shielded the company from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S.-China trade tensions.

Prior to establishing TMYTEK in 2014, both Chang and co-founder Ethan Lin were researchers at Academia Sinica, a leading Taiwanese research institution, where their work centered on millimeter wave technology, despite the prevailing focus on mid-band spectrum at the time.

However, as the 4G spectrum became increasingly congested with devices and applications, millimeter wave technology gained prominence. With the introduction of next-generation 5G millimeter wave hardware and chips by Qualcomm, and the increasing deployment of millimeter wave coverage by carriers, this technology is now poised for widespread adoption.

Millimeter waves deliver robust signals with substantial bandwidth and minimal latency, but they face challenges in penetrating obstacles such as buildings and have a limited range. Consequently, millimeter wave networks require a denser deployment of base stations. Technologies like beamforming, which focuses signals on specific devices, and antenna arrays, which combine multiple antennas for enhanced performance, are employed to broaden coverage.

Accelerating mmWave Development

A significant obstacle for growth within the millimeter wave industry is the limited availability of research and development resources designed to expedite the development process and reduce time to market, ultimately leading to increased expenses and delayed implementation.

In response to emerging market possibilities, TMYTEK shifted its focus from undertaking design and manufacturing projects for clients to providing 5G-centric solutions, such as the BBox – short for “beamforming box.” The BBox originated from a conversation with a professor at National Taiwan University who expressed the need for beamforming technology alongside their ongoing antenna design work, but lacked the necessary resources. This device empowers researchers to generate 16 beams and regulate the signal’s amplitude and phase through software, enabling quicker testing of performance with antennas and other components. TMYTEK asserts that the BBox can reduce research and engineering time and costs by as much as 80%.

Chang explained that TMYTEK recognized that if a leading research university like NTU required such a solution, other laboratories likely shared the same need. To date, the company has supplied 30 units to organizations including KDDI, SoftBank, Fujitsu, multiple Fortune 500 companies, and various research institutions.

While initially developed for antenna designers, the company expanded its efforts to create solutions for other specialists, including algorithm developers who need to evaluate beam tracking, establish communication with base stations, and gather data.

TMYTEK vice president Ethan Lin displays the antenna-in-package for the XBeam millimeter wave testing solution (Image Credits: TMYTEK)

To address this broader need, TMYTEK developed the XBeam, which they characterize as a “complete solution” intended for the mass production stage, specifically for testing modules, smartphones, and base stations prior to shipment. Conventional module testing methods often employ mechanical rotators, which Chang believes are better suited for research and development. The XBeam, building upon the BBox technology, utilizes electronic beam scanning. The company states that the XBeam offers testing speeds up to 20 times faster than alternative solutions.

TMYTEK completed the XBeam prototype in 2019 and officially launched the commercially available version in November 2020.

Chang indicated that the BBox and XBeam will contribute to TMYTEK’s development of its own base station business in two key ways. First, possessing its own solutions will allow TMYTEK to accelerate the testing and introduction of base stations to the market. Second, the company anticipates that establishing a strong reputation for effective research and development tools will aid in marketing its base stations to both private and public networks. This is particularly crucial for TMYTEK, as its base stations will compete with offerings from industry leaders such as Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, and Huawei.

“TMYTEK’s strength lies in our design capabilities combined with strong manufacturing partnerships. Inventec, one of our investors, is a top five manufacturer in Taiwan,” he stated. “Furthermore, TMYTEK develops its own testing solutions, providing our customers with a comprehensive, end-to-end offering.”

Corrections: Removed NTT DoCoMo from list of clients and added SoftBank and Fujitsu. Taisic Materials removed from investors list and Kenmec Material Engineering added.