SiGe enables wireless multimedia capabilities for consumer electronic giants with innovative RF solutions

Consumer electronics manufacturers take advantage of SiGe Semiconductor's integrated circuits and front end modules to build better mobile, entertainment and computing devices

With end customers that include Apple, Dell, Linksys, HP and Nintendo, SiGe Semiconductor’s mission is to be the key enabler of wireless multimedia capabilities by providing innovative RF solutions for consumer electronics. The company draws on a large intellectual property base of patents and more than 100 employees to exploit advances in process technology, passive die, and multi-chip modules to give its customers smaller form factors, longer battery life, higher speed, enhanced quality of service, and improved coverage. These benefits have opened an enormous market opportunity in personal navigation devices, media players, gaming systems, Bluetooth(R)-enabled devices, and cellular handsets.

SiGe is a privately-held fabless semiconductor company with offices in Ottawa, Boston, Hong Kong, London, and San Diego. The company was founded in 1996 as SiGe Microsystems, a spinoff from the National Research Council of Canada. In 2001 the name was changed to SiGe Semiconductor to more accurately reflect the company's core competencies — RF IC design and manufacturing primarily using silicon germanium BiCMOS and HBT technologies.

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One of Canada’s top 10 cleantech companies – Menova Energy shines as a solar success story

Ontario contract mechanical engineering firm turns expertise to solar collectors and creates a winner poised for rapid growth as municipal and industrial-commercial buildings seek clean power alternatives

In the den of his rural home just south of Ottawa, Dave Gerwing decided to turn a mechanical engineering degree and expertise in manufacturing design, stress analysis, heat transfer and kinematics into a contract engineering firm called Menova Engineering Inc. That was 1995.

By 1998, Dave was a CEO leading a 15-person engineering and business team, servicing clients such as Nortel, Liquid Computing, Hovey, Black & Decker, Honeywell and Ontario Power Generation. In that same year, an infamous power surge knocked out power across northeastern Canada and the U.S. Dave realized that a future of constantly rising energy rates meant that there was a potentially huge opportunity for alternative energy products.

The Menova Engineering team – many of whom came out of Ontario universities and Federal government labs – decided to devote their considerable R&D talents to designing and building their own solar product. In 2004, Menova Energy was formed to commercialize the Power-Spar solar collector.

Having already proven themselves with dozens of Canadian installations, the company is targeting the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sector, focusing on opportunities with potential for highly replicable sales.

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