Ashvattha Semiconductor CEO resigns to become V-P

Wednesday, 13 August 2003, 19:30 IST
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NEW YORK: Indian American Kartik Sridharan, co-founder of Ashvattha Semiconductor, has stepped down from his post as CEO to become vice president of engineering in the firm. The company appointed Jim Kamke, formerly with Sequoia Communications, as CEO. San Diego-based Ashvattha Semiconductor provides integrated radio frequency chips for wireless devices. Kartik, along with his father Guruswami Sridharan, chief technology officer and chairman, founded the company in January 2000. Kartik says his team's unique product, which combines several radio frequency standards on the same chip, is applicable to a variety of cell standards. "Not many companies can say that even single standards are covered. We do GPS (global positioning system), and Bluetooth and a lot more. And that is extremely unique in the industry - because these standards are not meant to coexist. We have to do lots of tricks... to get it working together." Ashvattha, which means banyan tree that is also the logo of the company, received a patent for its technology this January and according to Sridharan there are four more patents applied for. Appointing Kamke as CEO will boost commercialising the product Sridharan and his partners have created, the company feels. Kamke brings to Ashvattha nearly 20 years of experience in the radio frequency, cellular and wireless semiconductor industries. He has led product development and marketing teams at Motorola, Rockwell Semiconductor's Wireless Division, Sequoia Communications, and PrairieComm. An expert in radio frequency circuit design, product engineering and management, business management, product marketing and business development, Kamke is expected to bring in another $7 million round of financing for the company. "Very few people in wireless have both the breadth and depth of experience that Jim brings with him to Ashvattha Semiconductor," said Ravi Ugale, Ashvattha board member and partner at Crossbow Ventures. "Ashvattha has done an outstanding job developing its patented multi-mode, multi-standard radio frequency chip architecture," said Kamke. A graduate of Stanford University, Kartik joined Advanced Systems & Applications Labs, Philips, in Eindhoven, Netherlands, when he began his career. Since 2000, at Ashvattha, he has been involved in multi-band, multi-standard radio system and circuit design, as well as growing the company toward revenue generation.
Source: IANS