GreenPeak

GreenPeak Technologies was a fabless semiconductor company that carved out a significant niche in the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Home markets before its acquisition. Founded in 2005 by Cees Links, the company was officially formed in July 2007 through the merger of Xanadu Wireless, a Dutch company, and Ubiwave from Belgium, with its headquarters in Utrecht, Netherlands.

The company's strategic focus was on the development of ultra-low power, short-range radio frequency (RF) communication technology. Its business model was that of a fabless semiconductor firm, meaning it designed the chips and outsourced the manufacturing process. GreenPeak specialized in semiconductor products and software for the IEEE 802.15.4 and Zigbee wireless standards. The product portfolio included communication controller chips, integrated software, tools, and reference designs. These components were engineered for seamless integration into a wide array of residential and consumer electronics, such as smart thermostats, lighting, security sensors, and remote controls. A key selling point was the technology's ability to enable devices to run on coin-cell batteries for up to a decade, drastically reducing maintenance for the end-user. The company's solutions were also noted for their superior range, robustness, and best-in-class interference rejection from Wi-Fi signals.

GreenPeak's primary clients were original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), operators, and service providers in the smart home, consumer electronics, and IoT sectors. The firm provided these clients with the foundational technology to build and deploy connected devices, enabling services like home monitoring, energy management, and senior lifestyle applications. By providing pre-certified modules and robust development tools, GreenPeak helped its customers reduce complexity and accelerate their time to market. A major achievement was the shipment of its 100 millionth Zigbee chip to the smart home market in 2015, a testament to its market penetration.

The founder, Cees Links, is a recognized pioneer in the wireless data industry. Before establishing GreenPeak, he had a distinguished career at NCR, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and Agere Systems, where he was instrumental in developing the first wireless LAN product, WaveLAN, which was a precursor to modern Wi-Fi. His deep involvement in establishing the IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) and IEEE 802.15 (Zigbee) standards provided him with the foresight and expertise to lead GreenPeak. Co-founder Frans Frielink also brought extensive experience from high-growth wireless technology organizations like NCR, AT&T Bell Labs, and RF Micro Devices.

On April 18, 2016, it was announced that GreenPeak would be acquired by Qorvo (Nasdaq: QRVO), a major provider of RF solutions. The acquisition allowed Qorvo to integrate GreenPeak's expertise in ultra-low power, short-range wireless SoCs, Zigbee, and Bluetooth solutions, strengthening its position in the rapidly expanding IoT market. Following the acquisition, GreenPeak became part of Qorvo's Infrastructure and Defense Products (IDP) group, with Cees Links continuing to lead the division as the General Manager of the Wireless Connectivity business unit.

Keywords: GreenPeak Technologies, Cees Links, Frans Frielink, Qorvo acquisition, fabless semiconductor, Zigbee chips, IEEE 802.15.4, Smart Home technology, Internet of Things, IoT connectivity, ultra-low power RF, wireless communication, RF solutions, system-on-a-chip, SoC, connected home, wireless sensor networks, WPAN, remote controls, communication controller chips, consumer electronics, home automation, asset tracking, M2M communication, low power wireless