Electronics Weekly puts its questions to an industry figure: Tim Haynes, CEO of Nujira, which develops wireless basestation technology.

Is it getting harder for technology start-ups to attract funding?

Yes I believe it is. Consolidation in the VC market combined with difficulties in raising new funds has led to the reduced availability of capital for start-ups, particularly those in the early stages. To be successful, start-ups need to be led by people with a proven track record, able to articulate their plans well and who fully understand their target market. They must also  be commercially, not technology, driven.

Do you share the view that WiMAX could be a viable alternative to 3G for broadband access?

WiMAX looks like it could be a real competitor to 3G in many situations, although the technology has some way to go before it has all the features to compete with 3G in a mobile environment. WiMAX has certainly done a good job of encouraging new entrants to the wireless infrastructure market, which can only be good for the industry, and component suppliers such as Nujira.

How would you characterise the current 3G wireless infrastructure market?

The recent consolidation of established infrastructure vendors will take some time to work through. Depending on the cultural fit and the strength of management teams, the new companies could either benefit considerably or suffer drastically - it's quite highly geared. Meanwhile, we will see increased competition from Chinese vendors, which will keep the established players on their toes.

What is your view on GaN as an alternative to LDMOS in RF power amplifier designs?

GaN shows tremendous promise but has yet to prove itself in commercial use. Nujira's technology is already making RF power amplifiers significantly more power efficient, and  the ability of GaN to work at higher voltages also helps improve efficiency. So we are actively working with all the major GaN vendors to help bring the technology to market.

What are the best and worst aspects of creating a world-class technology company in Cambridge?

Cambridge is a great place to start a high technology company - there's a very entrepreneurial atmosphere, lots of bright people and a supportive ecosystem for small companies. I guess the downside would be that it's often assumed that small companies in Cambridge don't need the same help from Government as do companies elsewhere - and that's just not true.

See www.nujira.com