Acconeer AB was founded in 2011 by the technology entrepreneurs Dr. Mikael Egard and Dr. Mats Ärlelid, together with Mårten Öbrink, Professor Lars-Erik Wernersson and Lund University to develop ultra-low power, high precision 3D radar sensors for mobile devices.

Acconeer recently closed a SEK 60 million ($7.16 million) investment round. Existing shareholders contributed approximately 40% of the round leaving 60% for new investors including Jörgen Lantto, former CEO of Fingerprint Cards and Bert Nordberg, former CEO and Chairman of Sony Mobile.

Acconeer’s A1 radar sensor is a complete, high-precision microwave radar system integrated on a single chip that enable radar functionality to be integrated in battery driven and compact devices. The device operates in the 60GHz ISM band and includes all parts of the radar system - antenna, RF and baseband - in a 5x5 mm package. The company’s patent pending technology enables it to develop high frequency wavelet generators with very low power consumption, enabling the design of battery-powered high precision radar instruments.

The sensor has sub-millimeter measurement accuracy and low power consumption. To enable fast and easy application development, the sensor is complemented with software algorithms for interpretation of the sensor data. Acconeer’s patented technology enable high-precision tracking of 3D objects, while consuming microwatts of power. The sensor functions in any lighting or ambient sound environment. The sensor’s radiowave will penetrate light material such as clothing, but not skin and can measure breathing rate or pulse.

Potential applications range from virtual reality and gaming to security and robot control. Typically, the sensor is used for high-accuracy distance measurements and presence detection or more advanced use cases such as gesture recognition and material identification.

The company has solid interest from customers and will start shipping evaluation boards. The new capital will be used to fund the completion of Acconeer’s 3D sensor A1 for commercial launch and mass production, which is planned for early 2017.

Lars Lindell, CEO (previously VP Sales BU Modems at Ericsson)

Mats Ärlelid, Ph.D., Co-founder

Mikael Egard, Ph.D., Co-founder

Professor Lars-Erik Wernersson, Ph.D., Co-founder (professor in Nanoelectronics at Lund University, directing efforts in wavelet technology supported by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research)