Kenet

Kenet, Inc. was a fabless semiconductor company specializing in the development of high-speed, ultra-low power data converters. Founded in 2002 by Gerhard Sollner, the company was based in Woburn, Massachusetts. Kenet's core innovation was its FemtoCharge® CMOS technology, which enabled the creation of high-performance analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with significantly lower power consumption and a smaller die area compared to competing products on the market.

The company's products were designed for use in a variety of industrial and communications applications, including portable digital oscilloscopes, software-defined radios, spectrum analyzers, and cable head-end equipment. Kenet's business model focused on providing these advanced power conversion ICs to these markets. The technology was originally based on research from MIT's Lincoln Labs.

Throughout its operation, Kenet raised a total of $24.4 million in funding over four rounds from investors including Venrock, Oak Investment Partners, and MIT. Its latest funding round was a Series B in June 2006. In September 2008, Kenet was acquired by Intersil Corporation, a major player in high-performance analog solutions, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was a strategic move for Intersil to broaden its product portfolio and gain a technology leadership position in high-performance, low-power ADCs.

Keywords: power conversion ICs, CMOS analog-to-digital converters, fabless semiconductor, FemtoCharge, low-power data converters, high-speed data converters, industrial electronics, communications products, ADCs, Intersil acquisition, Gerhard Sollner, semiconductor technology, circuit design, electronic components, integrated circuits, software defined radio, digital oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzer, Woburn, MIT Lincoln Labs