Aliso Viejo-based networking equipment maker QLogic Corp. has made big strides in carving out a niche in the burgeoning 10-gigabit Ethernet connection market, a competitive segment that’s drawn big industry players into the ring as storage needs and speedy data transfer become increasingly important to consumers and businesses.
The company posted a 13% market share in controller and adapter sales last year, up from 6.8% in 2013, according to Dell’Oro research.
That placed it in the No. 2 slot behind the world’s largest chipmaker, Intel Corp., which controlled about half of the $700 million market.
A QLogic spokesperson credited the strong performance to a “broad presence at key” original equipment manufacturers, plus the larger industry trend of moving from 1-gigabyte connections to 10 gigabyte.
The gains pushed QLogic past Costa Mesa-based rival Emulex Corp., whose market share dropped about 2% to 12.5%, and Irvine-based chipmaker Broadcom Corp., whose market share dipped from 7.9% in 2013 to 2% last year.
Solarflare, also based in Irvine, posted a modest gain to 5.3%. The company sells its speedy data networking circuit boards directly to financial services firms.
Emulex last month announced it would be acquired for $606 million by Avago Technologies Ltd. in Singapore.
Firm Gets $2M Navy Contract
Yorba Linda defense company IXI Technology was awarded a five-year, $2.2 million U.S. Navy contract to deploy its communications technology that provides countermeasure protection and electronic support aboard allied and U.S. war ships.
IXI’s Data I/O Converter, certified by the Navy’s Aegis advanced weapon system, links radar, weapons, and other systems to Windows- or UNIX/Linux-based computers over Ethernet. It’s also billed as providing flexibility in transferring data to systems not directly connected to military input/output channels, as well as accessing real-time, highly reliable communications and control without the costly cable connections associated with the systems.
Chief Executive Michael Carter, who purchased the company in late 2013, was hired to run it two years earlier. He changed the name to IXI from Sabtech in order to better represent its technology focus.
The company’s annual revenue is about $50 million, which Carter aims to grow to $300 million, with a focus on the military drone market.
App Nabs Oscar Winner
Hang With Inc., a new unit of Fountain Valley-based startup MEDL Mobile Holdings Inc., has attracted Oscar winner and rocker Jared Leto to its board.
Leto, who earned the 2014 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a transsexual AIDS patient in “Dallas Buyers Club,” is the latest entertainer to align with the social media app.
Hang w/, which allows fans to follow their favorite musicians, athletes and actors through a live stream with simultaneous chat, has attracted an eclectic list that includes Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech and Chong, and 50 Cent, who invested an undisclosed amount in the company in 2013.
Terms of Leto’s board appointment were not disclosed.
The actor, activist, filmmaker, and rhythm guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter for Thirty Seconds to Mars, is involved in several technology and media ventures, including the social media management and digital marketing company The Hive; global live event service Adventures In Wonderland; and live video streaming service VyRT.
MEDL posted 2013 revenue of about $2.3 million and a loss of $2.8 million.
