PicoChip

Company name: PicoChip
Where it's based: Bath, U.K.
When it was founded: 2000
What year it was a Fierce 15: 2005
Website: www.picochip.com

Why it was a Fierce 15: PicoChip's flexible chip technology powered a number of next-generation wireless solutions, including WCDMA and WiMAX. The company's product could be cheaply and easily scaled for base stations and other wireless networks. Click here for more.

What has happened since it was awarded the Fierce 15: PicoChip boasts of a global presence and turnover of around $13 million in 2008. The company said its technology is currently in use by over a hundred network operators, including eight of the global top ten, and seven of the top ten telecom equipment makers. Further, the company said it has expanded into femtocells and system-on-chip (SoC) devices. The company also is angling for a play in the LTE market.