CIA-launched fund invests in image sensor company
June 15, 2007
From: CNET News
By: Stephen Shankland
In-Q-Tel,
a private investment firm launched by the CIA to support U.S.
intelligence agencies, has invested in image sensor maker Pixim, the
company said Wednesday.
The investment was part of a $15 million funding round announced in
March that also included Tallwood Venture Capital, Ridgewood Capital
and the Mayfield Fund.
Pixim sells digital image sensors and associated software used in
surveillance cameras. The technology is geared to work in particular
with difficult lighting conditions. The company's Orca chips are used
in more than 100 camera models available today.
"In-Q-Tel invested in Pixim because it offers government and commercial
users a new capability to significantly enhance critical decision
making," said Troy M. Pearsall, In-Q-Tel's executive vice president of
technology transfer, in a statement.
Image sensors convert analog information from light into digital
information that can be processed by a computer. Pixim uses a
technology it calls Digital Pixel System that uses an analog-to-digital
converter at each sensor pixel rather than sharing a converter among
many pixels.
