SolanoTech, based in the Midlands Innovation and Research Centre (MIRC ) at Athlone Institute of Technology, was among the ‘Class of 2008’ High Potential Start Ups (HPSUs ) recently showcased by Enterprise Ireland.
According to SolanoTech CEO, John Mee, SolanoTech provides software and IPTV solutions to the telecoms market - delivering digital content over telecoms networks using technologies traditionally used for computer networks. IPTV allows for highly interactive applications and is often bundled with other services such as phone, internet and video-on-demand.
A HPSU is defined by Enterprise Ireland as a company which is based on technical innovation, is likely to achieve significant growth in three years, has a strong export focus and is led by an experienced team with a mixture of technical and commercial competencies.
SolanoTech was founded in 2007 by John Mee and Santanu Mazumdar who shared a common vision for a technology company which would blend telecoms with emerging networked TV and video technologies to address new business opportunities.
Mr Mee and Mr Mazumdar chose Athlone as a base for SolanoTech “simply because we live here” and are very positive about its advantages as a business location.
“We are delighted with the facilities and support provided by the MIRC while we have also worked closely with AIT’s Software Research Centre - which is a fantastic resource for companies such as SolanoTech,” says Mr Mazumdar who is SolanoTech’s Chief Technology Officer.
A feature of SolanoTech’s presence in the MIRC is its multimedia lab which contains a live IPTV system designed and built by SolanoTech. The lab is used to develop and test solutions for clients and provides an ideal demonstration environment for the company’s capabilities.
According to Barry Egan, Regional Director Enterprise Ireland, increasing the number of new high-growth export focused businesses like SolanoTech is a key objective for Enterprise Ireland. “We are fully committed to working in partnership with these HPSU companies to help them build their capabilities and secure international market access for their products and services.”
