Metawave Spektra beamsteering radar system can distinguish between objects in difficult driving scenarios and in all-weather conditions; Metawave Turbo and Echo 5G Platforms bend and boost mm-wave signals for a more efficient and convenient way to increase 5G coverage.
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Metawave Corp., a startup focusing on radar sensing for highly automated driving and wireless solutions for 5G deployments, closed its initial Series A funding. Mobility supplier Denso led the round. Other investors include Mirae Asset Capital, NTT Docomo Ventures, and existing investors including BOLD Capital Partners. Metawave’s initial seed round of $17 million included financial support from Denso, Toyota, Hyundai, and Infineon.
“To be able to work on innovative hardware, system, software, and AI platforms in such high-growth markets is exciting and challenging,” said Maha Achour, Founder and CEO of Metawave. “When I see our automotive partners excited about our radar capabilities and telecom customers demonstrating impressive results using our 5G solutions, I’m inspired and proud to lead a fearless team who has been delivering incredible results in less than 18 months from opening our development center in Carlsbad. Consumer expectations and business demands are increasing with the advent of new technologies, especially in mobility and connectivity, and being able to work closely with 5G and automotive leaders helps us visualize the future and continuously adapt as roads become safer and people strive to be more productive.”
Leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence for analog radars, Metawave is building Spektra—a beamsteering radar system capable of distinguishing between objects in difficult driving scenarios and in all-weather conditions. The company has been delivering its proof of concept (POC) to leading automakers and Tier 1 transportation providers since early 2019. Using deep learning to extract meaningful information, Metawave’s proprietary AI platform, called Aware, is integrated with its radar platform to solve the “lack-of-precision” issue.
To support the development of 5G, Metawave is developing its Turbo active repeaters and Echo passive reflectors to enable faster, more efficient 5G and fixed wireless deployments. The company demonstrated results with Docomo in late 2018, showing how the Echo platform boosts signals for better communication speed and coverage using 5G. Metawave is working with leading telecoms to demonstrate both Echo and Turbo, giving 5G users faster, economical, and reliable connectivity. Metawave's network planning Aware AI uses a combination of deep learning and traditional electromagnetic simulations. It enables users to scan their application area—in office buildings, cities, stadiums, and more—and makes precise suggestions for optimal locations and arrangements of Echo and Turbo platforms.