WildBlue Invests In Chip Design Firm, U.S. Monolithics

WildBlue Inc. of Denver, formerly iSky, said it has invested in a semiconductor design company, U.S. Monolithics LLC, that will play a key role in Wild Blue’s construction of a Ka-band satellite system for easy access to the Internet.

The agreement calls for WildBlue to take an equity stake in U.S. Monolithics and have representation on its board of directors, but the companies did not disclose details of the agreement.

David Corman, president and CEO of U.S. Monolithics, said WildBlue’s investment was “significant” and amounts to “multi-million” dollars. WildBlue will have two representatives on U.S. Monolithics’ board of directors.

U.S. Monolithics specializes in the design of high-power, low-noise Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) and multi-chip modules for high- power amplifiers and transceivers.

These can be used in a variety of applications including terrestrial systems, such as the Local Multipoint Distribution Service, as well as in broadband, Ka-band earth stations, the company said. U.S. Monolithics is headquartered in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Ariz.