RAKwireless

RAKwireless, established in Shenzhen, China, in 2014, specializes in developing connectivity hardware and end-to-end solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) market. The company was founded by Ken Yu, who now serves as CEO. Before starting RAKwireless, Yu spent over a decade at Qualcomm Atheros, a prominent WiFi and chip vendor, where he developed a passion for wireless connectivity and its potential to improve lives through IoT. He identified a market opportunity in connecting devices not typically part of a WiFi network and aimed to provide more agile solutions than what was currently available.

RAKwireless targets its products and services toward system integrators, developers, and IoT solution providers. The company's business model revolves around providing the necessary hardware and infrastructure for building wireless networks, particularly using the LoRaWAN protocol, a long-range, low-power technology. Revenue is generated through the sale of its hardware, including IoT modules, LoRaWAN gateways, and ready-to-use node devices, as well as through its one-stop service factory that assists customers from prototyping to commercial launch. The company secured $10 million in a Series A funding round in April 2021, which was led by Creo Capital and followed by Shunwei Capital.

The company's core product offerings are designed to make IoT deployment simple and accessible, encapsulated in their tagline, "IoT Made Easy." Their portfolio includes a wide range of modular IoT products designed for easy deployment and to accelerate time-to-market. A key offering is the WisBlock platform, a modular, open-source system that allows developers to create custom IoT devices by clicking together different electronic modules, similar to building with Legos. This platform includes baseboards, core modules, sensors, and IO interfaces, enabling the rapid development of prototypes without soldering. For network infrastructure, RAKwireless provides WisGate gateways for both indoor and outdoor use, supporting various leading network servers. The company also offers the WisDM, a cloud-based remote management system for monitoring and managing gateway fleets. RAKwireless serves various industries, including smart agriculture, smart buildings, smart cities, and smart factories.

Keywords: IoT hardware, LoRaWAN gateways, modular IoT, edge devices, IoT solutions, LPWA connectivity, WisBlock, IoT modules, private network solutions, smart agriculture, smart cities, system integrators, IoT developers, IoT prototyping, network management, end-to-end solutions, wireless connectivity, embedded solutions, sensor nodes, remote management