About Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications is a publicly listed company based in Santa Clara (United States) founded in 1998, and was acquired by Qualcomm in January 2011. Semiconductor solutions for wireless and network communications are developed. Atheros Communications has raised $66.7 million across 2 funding rounds from investors including Fidelity Investments, Qualcomm and Evercore. Atheros Communications has completed 2 acquisitions, including Intellon Corporation and U-Nav. Its focus areas include Semiconductors, Analog and Mixed Signal ICs, Communication ICs and RFICs. Its competitors include Impinj, MACOM and Akoustis; 3 of its 3 listed competitors have raised funding.
Company details
Atheros Communications was founded in 1998 in Santa Clara, United States, as a developer of semiconductor solutions for wireless and network communications. Integrated chipsets incorporating RF, analog, and mixed-signal technologies were produced to enhance wireless data speeds through CMOS-based ICs. Operations centered on the wireless sector, with products supporting network connectivity. The company was acquired by Qualcomm in May 2011 and subsequently integrated as Qualcomm Atheros.
- Headquarters Santa Clara, United States
- Stage Acquired
- SectorsTechnology
- Website atheros.com
- Social LinkedIn X
- Acquired by Qualcomm (Jan 2011)
- Total Equity Funding$66.7M (USD)
in 2 rounds
- Latest Funding Round$3.64M (USD), Grant
May 2010
- InvestorsFidelity Investments
& 8 more
- Investments & AcquisitionsIntellon Corporation
& 1 more
- Acquired byQualcomm
(Jan 2011)
Funding Insights of Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications has successfully raised a total of $66.7M across 2 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Grant round of $3.64 million completed in May 2010. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $66.7M
- Total Rounds 2
- Last Round Grant — $3.64M
- First Round $66.7M
(Apr 2001)
- Investors Count 8
All 2 funding rounds of Atheros Communications with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2010 | $3.64M | Grant | – | – | |
| Apr 2001 | $66.7M | Series B | – | – |
9 investors in total: 9 institutional.
Investors in Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications has secured backing from 9 investors, including institutional and venture fund investors. Prominent investors backing the company include Fidelity Investments, Qualcomm and Evercore.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Venture capital is provided to multiple sectors by Presidio Ventures. | presidio-ventures.com | Santa Clara, United States | ||
Provider of brokerage accounts, retirement planning, wealth management, and trading platforms | 1946 | fidelity.com | Boston, United States | |
M&A advisory, corporate strategy, and asset management services are provided. | 1995 | evercore.com | Atlanta, United States | |
End-to-End Broadband wireless systems | 1982 | proxim.com | California City, United States | |
Natural gas and petroleum are distributed and traded globally. | 1954 | mitsubishicorp.com | New York, United States | |
| sumitomocorp.co.jp | ||||
Manufacturer of electronic components and materials. This company develops and produces a wide array of electronic components, including magnetic products, capacitors, resistors, and sensors. These components are used in various applications across diverse industries, such as automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics. The company also offers related technologies and solutions. Its operations encompass research and development, manufacturing, and sales. | 1974 | tdk.com | Lincolnshire, United States | |
Scientific and technical information is managed and disseminated by OSTI.GOV. | osti.gov | Oak Ridge, United States | ||
Provider of cloud and AI-based cellular communication ICs | 1985 | qualcomm.com | San Diego, United States |
Investor details for Atheros Communications
The complete investor list, round-by-round participation and investor portfolios require an active premium plan.
- Complete investor list
- Round participation
- Investor portfolios
- Co-investor network
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
People of Atheros Communications
36 people are tracked at Atheros Communications (9 in leadership, 11 in board & advisors, 16 in team).
| Name | Role | Group |
|---|---|---|
Rahul Patel | SVP & General Manager, Connectivity, Cloud & Networking, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | Leadership |
Don McGuire | SVP & Chief Marketing Officer | Leadership |
Roawen Chen | SVP, Chief Supply Chain & Operations Officer, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | Leadership |
Akash Palkhiwala | CFO, Qualcomm Incorporated | Leadership |
Alex Rogers | President, Qualcomm Technology Licensing QTL & Global Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated | Leadership |
Cristiano R. Amon | President & CEO, Qualcomm Incorporated | Leadership |
Lyle Bouknight | Director, Quality And Rel | Leadership |
Pat Ridley | Senior Director Sales Operations | Leadership |
Jim Cathey | Chief Commercial Officer | Leadership |
Mark Fields | Director | Board & advisors |
Jeffrey W. Henderson | Director | Board & advisors |
Ann M. Livermore | Director | Board & advisors |
Jean-Pascal Tricoire | Director | Board & advisors |
Sylvia Acevedo | Director | Board & advisors |
Jamie S. Miller | Director | Board & advisors |
Irene B. Rosenfeld | Director | Board & advisors |
Greg Johnson | Director | Board & advisors |
Mark D. McLaughlin | Chair | Board & advisors |
Anthony J. Vinciquerra | Director | Board & advisors |
Kornelis Smit | Director | Board & advisors |
16 more people are available in the full profile.
Complete people profiles for Atheros Communications
Full employee and board profiles, team structure, tenure and professional contact details require an active premium plan.
- Full employee list
- Team structure
- Board tenure
- Professional contacts
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
IPO & Listings of Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications is a publicly listed company on the NASDAQ with ticker symbol ATHR in USA, operating in the Technology services sector. As a publicly traded entity, the company provides investors with opportunities to participate in its growth story through equity ownership. The listing enables access to capital markets, enhances corporate visibility, and provides liquidity for shareholders while maintaining transparency through regulatory compliance and regular financial disclosures.
- IPO date12 Feb 2004
- Listed onNASDAQ: ATHR
- Listed entityAether Holdings, Inc.
- Exchange sectorTechnology services
Investments & Acquisitions by Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications has strategically engaged in corporate development activities, having acquired 2 companies. Notable acquisitions include Intellon Corporation and U-Nav.
| Company Name | Description | Domain | Location | Founded | Acquired | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICs for powerline communication applications are designed and developed. | intellon.com | Ocala, United States | 1989 | Sep 2009 | $244M | |
GPS ICs and software solutions for location tracking are provided. | unav-micro.com | Irvine, United States | 2001 | Dec 2007 | $54M |
Complete acquisition details for Atheros Communications
Acquired stakes, deal sources and the complete acquisition history require an active premium plan.
- Acquired stakes
- Deal sources
- Complete history
- Exports
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Timeline of Atheros Communications
7 dated milestones of Atheros Communications across 13 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded Atheros Communications is founded.
- Funding First funding round of $66.7M.
- IPO Lists on the stock exchange (IPO).
- Acquisition Acquires U-Nav.
- Acquisition Acquires Intellon Corporation.
- Funding Latest funding round, Grant, of $3.6M.
- Exit Acquired by Qualcomm.
Competitors of Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications has 3 listed competitors in our database, 3 of them funded. They include Impinj, MACOM and Akoustis.
| Company Name | Domain | Founded | HQ Location | Total funding | Employees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| impinj.com | 2000 | Seattle, United States | $132.15M | 306 | RFID solutions for retail, healthcare, consumer electronics and IoT | |
| macom.com | 1950 | Lowell, United States | $183.13M | 32 | Radio frequency-based communication ICs are developed for networking applications. | |
| akoustis.com | 2014 | Huntersville, United States | $5.83M | 222 | Provider of radio frequency integrated circuits for 5G communication |
Detailed competitors of Atheros Communications
The full competitor set, operating metrics and side-by-side benchmarks require an active premium plan.
- Full competitor set
- Operating metrics
- Benchmarks
- Competitive positioning
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Web traffic of Atheros Communications
Websites that share an audience with Atheros Communications (atheros.com).
Websites whose visitors overlap most with Atheros Communications. Affinity shows how closely the audiences match.
| Website | Domain | Audience affinity | Monthly visits | Global rank | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| intel.com | 100% | 14.3M | #3,571 | View details | |
smallnetbuilder.com | smallnetbuilder.com | 100% | #445,368 | – | |
| broadcom.com | 88% | 5.4M | #7,278 | View details | |
techspot.com | techspot.com | 84% | #15,984 | – | |
| wi-fi.org | 80% | 680.7K | #197,481 | View details | |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
All 24 similar websites and full traffic analytics for Atheros Communications
The complete similar-websites list, audience overlap and engagement analytics require an active premium plan.
- 24 similar websites
- Audience overlap
- Engagement analytics
- Traffic by brand
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Top companies in Semiconductors & ICs
3 companies that operate in the same segment as Atheros Communications (Semiconductors & ICs) in United States, ranked by their profile score on The Company Check.
| Company | Description | Founded | Location | Total funding | Revenue | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Provider of cloud and AI-based cellular communication ICs | 1985 | San Diego, California, United States | USD 44.28 B | 49,000 | ||
Full-stack quantum computing solutions using superconducting qubits are developed. | 2013 | Berkeley, California, United States | USD 195.62 M | USD 7.09 M | 140 | |
AI-powered graphical processing units and SoCs | 1993 | Santa Clara, California, United States | USD 5 M | USD 130.5 B | 36,000 |
Unlock complete access to The Company Check
Get unrestricted viewing across everything we track — from companies and brands to investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, financials, and more.
- Unlimited viewing on all profiles Companies, investors, financials, funding, acquisitions & directors
- Full access to every database India & global coverage, advanced filters and rich profile details
- Always-on access from your team account Single premium plan for everything you see on the portal
Related news about Atheros Communications
Complete news archive for Atheros Communications
Full article history, source details, and older brand coverage require an active premium plan.
- Full article archive
- Source and publication date
- Older coverage
- Brand-specific news history
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions about Atheros Communications
Atheros Communications was founded in 1998 and raised its 1st funding round 3 years after it was founded.
Atheros Communications is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States. It is registered at Santa Clara, California, United States.
Atheros Communications is a funded company, having raised a total of $66.7M across 2 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Series B of $66.7M, raised on Apr 2001.
Atheros Communications was founded in 1998 in Santa Clara, United States, as a developer of semiconductor solutions for wireless and network communications. Integrated chipsets incorporating RF, analog, and mixed-signal technologies were produced to enhance wireless data speeds through CMOS-based ICs. Operations centered on the wireless sector, with products supporting network connectivity. The company was acquired by Qualcomm in May 2011 and subsequently integrated as Qualcomm Atheros.
Yes, Atheros Communications is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ATHR.
Atheros Communications has made 2 acquisitions, including Intellon Corporation, and U-Nav.
Atheros Communications has 9 investors. Key investors include Fidelity Investments, Qualcomm, Evercore, Tdk Electronic Components, and Mitsubishi Corporation.
Yes. Atheros Communications was acquired by Qualcomm in January 2011.