GTI Capital Venture Fund Announces New Investment
in PointShot Wireless
Ottawa, Ontario, (November 17 , 2003)
PointShot Wireless, a developer of wireless voice and
data solutions for mobile environments including trains,
buses and vehicles, today announced USD $1 million in
Series A funding from institutional investors. The new
investor in the round includes GTI Capital, who along
with existing investors Venture Coaches, Axis Investment
Fund and several angel investors, brought the total
investment to date to USD $1.5 million.
PointShot Wireless will use the funding to advance
product development and expand the market reach of its
SolutionPoint™ family of products into Europe.
The company recently launched the first-ever wireless
Internet service for passenger trains in North America
to provide users with first-time access to email, the
Internet, corporate intranets, instant messaging and
digital entertainment while in transit.
“Our investment in PointShot Wireless underscores
our company’s strategy of seeking out and funding
early-stage advanced technology firms that are leaders
in their market. PointShot Wireless has proven that
there is a rapidly growing demand for broadband wireless
connectivity in trains and other mobile environments,
and that they have the technology that responds to this
market,” said Bernard Hamel, chairman and senior
general partner of GTI Capital. Mr. Hamel will also
join the PointShot Wireless board of directors.
“This round of financing validates the strength
of our vision, product set and development path, and
underscores a tremendous market need for mobile Wi-Fi
solutions for business travelers and consumers,”
added Shawn Griffin, president and CEO of PointShot
Wireless. “Our new funding enables PointShot Wireless
to turn our trials into deployments and positions the
company for rapid market development in Europe.”
The financing will support rail trial deployments expected
in Europe in early 2004. PointShot Wireless is currently
active in Wi-Fi trials with Altamont Commuter Express
(ACE), a commuter train service running between Stockton
and San Jose, California; VIA Rail, an intercity rail
service running between Toronto, Ontario, Montreal and
Quebec; and Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor, an intercity
rail service, operating from Sacramento to San Jose,
California.
PointShot Wireless developed its SolutionPoint™
platform with the understanding that to succeed in today’s
Wi-Fi market, Wi-Fi must be available in the locations
most optimal for business users to access. SolutionPoint™
is the next logical step for Wi-Fi access because it
provides business travelers and mobile consumers wireless
access while in transit so that, no matter where they
are located, they can be productive with their travel
time.
About GTI Capital
www.gticapital.com
Established in 1992, GTI Capital is a Montreal-based
venture capital firm dedicated to emerging IT enterprises.
It applies a fundamental approach to investing and avoids
speculative, momentum-driven investments. GTI Capital
is particularly interested in the following segments:
Business-to-Business e-commerce, Network solutions and
convergence technologies, Knowledge Management, Enterprise
Application Integration, as well as Electronics and
Photonics.
About Axis Capital Corporation
www.axisfunds.com
Axis Capital Corporation is a hands-on venture capital
management firm focused on early stage technology companies.
In 2002, after successfully managing a private fund,
Axis Capital launched Axis Investment Fund, a labour-sponsored
investment fund that invests in Ontario-based merging
software and wireless companies. Axis Investment Fund
offers Ontario residents the opportunity to participate
in venture capital and receive a 35 per cent tax credit.
About Venture Coaches
www.venturecoaches.com
Venture Coaches is an Ottawa based early-stage investor
committed to building the next wave of communications
and information technology companies. The Partners have
extensive operational knowledge and experience to mentor
portfolio companies in technology development, corporate
governance and business development. For more information,
please visit www.venturecoaches.com.
About PointShot Wireless
www.pointshotwireless.com
PointShot Wireless provides mobile wireless solutions
creating environments that enable people to work, communicate
and be entertained – no matter where they are
located or how they travel. The company’s family
of products, based on the SolutionPoint platform, represents
a unique architecture that bridges 802.11 networks to
next-generation wireless, cellular and satellite networks,
delivering a host of business and user applications.
The company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. For
more information visit: www.pointshotwireless.com.
Contact
Shawn Griffin
613-228-0435
shawn@PointShotWireless.com
Shaun Markey
613-728-9951
shaunmarkey@PointShotWireless.com
Bernard Hamel
President of the Board & Senior Partner
GTI Capital
Telephone : 514-845-3800, x26
bernard.hamel@gticapital.com
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