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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowFounders: Shreyas Sen, Angik Sarkar, Shovan Maity
Established: 2020
Top executives:
Angik Sarkar, CEO
Shreyas Sen, chief technology officer
Shovan Maity, head of research
Bob Twomey, executive vice president of marketing and sales
Equity raised: $19 million
2024 revenue: did not disclose
Projected 2025 revenue: did not disclose
Employees: more than 50
Location: based in West Lafayette with a location in Bangalore, India
Affiliations: Ixana is based on technology developed by Sen, a Purdue University electrical and computer engineering professor, and licensed through the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization.
Patents: 29 granted and filed
What does the company do? Ixana provides chips and other technology that enables wearable and smart devices to securely communicate through touch by creating a private electric-field based network around humans. Here’s how the company describes it: “Our innovative Wi-R silicon chip creates a secure, low-power envelope of electric field around you for seamless data transfer between wearables like smartwatches, earbuds and [augmented reality] glasses.” The technology is more energy-efficient than traditional wireless technologies. “We envision a future where your personal devices work together intuitively with your brain, augmenting your capabilities,” the company says.
What problem is it trying to solve? According to Ixana, Bluetooth and similar technologies are inefficient for wearables because they drain batteries quickly and pose security risks due to their broad broadcast range. Ixana’s technology offers a secure, ultra-low-power and high-bandwidth communication channel specifically designed for devices worn on the body. The company said the Wi-R technology also opens the door to using human touch to send data to devices.
Latest news: Ixana—which plans to release its latest 20 megabits/second chip later this year—has been awarded a fourth U.S. Defense Department contract, which the company said highlights “the urgent need for covert, cable-free communication solutions for the war fighter.” Last year, Ixana partnered with Chicago-based Otto Engineering to develop and manufacture gear for soldiers, including tactical audio devices, military radios and control interfaces like radio push-to-talk buttons.
Why Ixana made the list: The global wearable technologies market reached $84.2 billion in 2024, according to Grand View Research, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.6% through 2030. Already, Ixana’s chips are being integrated into smart devices—including smart glasses, smartwatches, earbuds and more—and the Defense Department integration offers a lane for substantial growth. Also, Purdue Strategic Ventures last year announced a second investment in the company to help it expand operations and enhance security measures to assist its defense industry partnerships. Ixana won TechPoint Startup of the Year at the 2023 Mira Awards.•
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