WAVEPIA
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSeongnam, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What WAVEPIA does
WAVEPIA CO., LTD. is a privately held, fabless RF semiconductor design house headquartered in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, founded in September 2014 by CEO Lee Sang-hoon. The company designs and supplies GaN-on-SiC (Gallium Nitride on Silicon Carbide) RF devices for high-frequency, high-power applications, with devices operating up to 40 GHz and delivering output power from hundreds of watts (discrete transistors) to several kilowatts (solid-state microwave generators). Its product portfolio spans four lines: GaN MMICs (power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, front-end modules), GaN discretes (bare dies, unmatched transistors, matched transistors using the patented One-PKG technology), GaAs MMIC LNAs, and Microwave Generators branded HPGP (High-Power GaN PLL). WAVEPIA holds three granted patents covering packaging innovations (One-PKG, WBL wire-bonding-less clip bonding, and integrated chip-level temperature monitoring) and maintains proprietary ADA die-attach equipment and in-house Load Pull measurement capability.
The firm operates as a B2B enterprise with a direct sales motion, engaging aerospace & defense, space & satellite, 5G/6G telecommunications, and RF energy customers through a quote-based, fully customizable pricing model — no products are stocked off-the-shelf without customer specification. Manufacturing is fabless: chip fabrication is performed by Win Semiconductor and other Asian foundries (deliberately non-US to mitigate export-control exposure), and WAVEPIA operates its own assembly house for packaged devices. The company has built regulatory credibility through AS9100D aerospace/defense certification, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, RoHS compliance, Korean MOTIE Compliance Program (CP) export-control status, and the Korean Ministry of National Defense 'Defense Innovation Company 100' designation (November 2023); CEO Lee Sang-hoon received the 2026 Korea SME Industrial Medal. WAVEPIA is targeting global expansion, evidenced by its 2024-2026 conference circuit (EuMW, IMS, UWC, KCEF), and is investing in talent pipeline via the 2026 University of Seoul 'Industrial Innovation Talent Growth Support' consortium.
WAVEPIA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WAVEPIA
- Legal name
- WAVEPIA CO., LTD.
- Website
- https://wavepia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WAVEPIA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- RF GaN Semiconductor Devices
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413)
- SIC
- Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)
- akta.pro primary industry
- RF, Microwave & Wireless ICs (HDAHAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Power Modules (IGBT/MOSFET/SiC/GaN Modules) (HDAHAHAH), Wide-Bandgap Power Devices (SiC/GaN Discretes) (HDAHAHAG), High-Voltage, Power Discretes & Modules (IGBT/MOSFET/SiC/GaN) (HDAHAAAK), Wide-Bandgap (SiC/GaN) Power Modules, Gate Drivers & Packaging (EUAFAIAJ)
Keywords
Where WAVEPIA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seongnam
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
WAVEPIA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- GaN RF Semiconductor Devices: Sale of RF GaN HEMT bare dies, MMICs, and packaged RF GaN transistors operating up to 40 GHz and up to several hundreds of watts. Products include GaN Discrete (Bare Die, Unmatched Transistor, Matched Transistor), GaN MMIC (PA, LNA, FEM), GaAs MMIC, and Microwave Generators. All devices can be customized upon customer request.
- RF Energy Solutions (HPGP): Complete RF energy solutions including solid-state microwave generators that generate up to several kW of saturated output power for RF energy market applications such as plasma lighting, medical, and industrial heating.
- Custom Design Services: RF semiconductor design services where WAVEPIA tailors solutions to specific customer needs, providing precision, reliability, and dedicated support throughout the design process.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quotation-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
WAVEPIA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WAVEPIA designs and develops RF GaN-on-SiC semiconductor devices, including GaN HEMT bare dies, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) — power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, and front-end modules — packaged GaN discrete transistors, GaAs MMIC LNAs, and solid-state microwave generators. All devices operate up to 40 GHz with output power up to several hundreds of watts (discretes) and several kW (generators), and are customizable to customer specifications for aerospace, defense, satellite, 5G/6G telecom, and RF energy applications.
Product overview
WAVEPIA is an RFIC/MMIC semiconductor chip design house headquartered in South Korea, established in 2014. The company designs and develops RF GaN HEMT bare dies, RF GaN transistors (discrete and packaged), MMICs (GaN and GaAs), and solid-state microwave generators. Their product portfolio centers on GaN-on-SiC technology and includes four main product lines: GaN MMICs (comprising Power Amplifiers, Low Noise Amplifiers, and Front-End Modules), GaN Discrete products (Bare Die, Unmatched Transistors, and Matched Transistors using proprietary One-PKG technology), GaAs MMICs (Low Noise Amplifiers), and Microwave Generators for RF Energy applications. All WAVEPIA devices can be customized upon request. The company operates as a fabless design house, working with Win Semiconductor as their main foundry and manufacturing packaged devices in their own assembly house.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HPGP (High Power GaN PLL): Proprietary solid-state RF generator solution for RF Energy markets. Cutting-edge technology that does not require drive amplifier.
- One-PKG
Products and services
- GaN MMIC GaN-on-SiC Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits comprising Power Amplifiers (PA), Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA), and Front End Modules (FEM), designed for radar, space, and 5G/6G wireless communication systems.
- GaN Discrete (Bare Die, Unmatched Transistor, Matched Transistor) GaN-on-SiC discrete semiconductor devices sold as Bare Die, Unmatched Transistors (broad bandwidth for HPAs from low band to Ku-band), and Matched Transistors optimized with 50-ohm matching using WAVEPIA's proprietary One-PKG technology for telecom, wireless infrastructure, military communications, radar, and jammers.
- GaAs MMIC - LNA
Quantifiable outcome
- RF GaN transistors operating up to 40+ GHz
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use WAVEPIA
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
WAVEPIA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
WAVEPIA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- University of SeoulminorWAVEPIA is collaborating with University of Seoul's semiconductor core IP design specialist training program as part of the 'Industrial Innovation Talent Growth Support' national project led by Korea Semiconductor Industry Association. The university serves as a hub for analog, power management, and energy conversion technology training with a total research budget of 33.6 billion won over 5 years.
- Silicon MitusminorSilicon Mitus is one of the domestic semiconductor design companies collaborating with University of Seoul's training program that WAVEPIA participates in, providing hands-on education and employment linkage for graduates in analog and power management technology.
- SemiAIminorSemiAI is one of the domestic semiconductor design companies collaborating with University of Seoul's training program that WAVEPIA participates in for semiconductor design specialist education.
- CosineonminorCosineon is one of the domestic semiconductor design companies collaborating with University of Seoul's training program for semiconductor core IP design specialists.
- Obang TechnologyminorObang Technology is one of the domestic semiconductor design companies participating in the University of Seoul's analog and power management technology training program alongside WAVEPIA.
- Win SemiconductorcoreWin Semiconductor is WAVEPIA's main foundry partner for semiconductor manufacturing. WAVEPIA designs its own chips and uses foundry services from Asian facilities rather than U.S.-based foundries, which provides advantages in terms of export restrictions flexibility.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
WAVEPIA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Qorvo: Leading global supplier of RF GaN-on-SiC HEMTs, MMICs, and discrete transistors for defense radar, EW, satcom, and 5G base stations — the most direct large-scale competitor to WAVEPIA across all four of WAVEPIA's primary end markets.
- MACOM Technology Solutions: Designs and manufactures GaN-on-SiC RF power devices, MMICs, and modules for defense, radar, and telecom. Directly comparable in product portfolio, frequency range, and target applications.
- RFHIC: Korean GaN RF semiconductor company offering discrete transistors, MMICs, and solid-state RF generators. Closest geographic and product-line peer to WAVEPIA, competing in 5G, defense, and RF energy.
- Wolfspeed: Vertically integrated SiC substrate and GaN-on-SiC RF device manufacturer serving telecom, defense, and industrial markets. Competes at the bare-die and discrete level in similar frequency and power bands.
- Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations: Long-established Japanese GaN HEMT and GaN-on-SiC device maker supplying defense and satcom programs globally. Direct competitor in high-frequency, high-power RF discretes.
Broad incumbents
- Mitsubishi Electric: Diversified Japanese electronics conglomerate with significant GaN RF semiconductor and microwave module capabilities for defense radar and communications. Overlaps with WAVEPIA in defense and satcom end markets but is not focused on GaN RF as a primary business.
- NXP Semiconductors: Large incumbent in RF power for telecom base stations (including GaN-based solutions). Competes with WAVEPIA in 5G/wireless infrastructure but with a much broader product portfolio and customer base.
- Analog Devices: Diversified analog and RF semiconductor leader with growing GaN footprint for defense and industrial applications. Adjacent competitor with broader portfolio of signal chain and mixed-signal products.
Emerging players
- Guerrilla RF: Small-cap US-based RF semiconductor company focused on GaN and GaAs amplifiers for defense, satcom, and 5G. Comparable size and stage to WAVEPIA, with overlapping product and customer focus.
- Akoustis: Emerging RF semiconductor company developing RF filter and front-end solutions for wireless markets. Adjacent technology and end-market overlap with WAVEPIA's front-end modules and 5G focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WAVEPIA social profiles
Digital presenceWAVEPIA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
WAVEPIA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WAVEPIA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
WAVEPIA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WAVEPIA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WAVEPIA
What does WAVEPIA do?
WAVEPIA designs and develops RF GaN-on-SiC semiconductor devices, including GaN HEMT bare dies, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) — power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, and front-end modules — packaged GaN discrete transistors, GaAs MMIC LNAs, and solid-state microwave generators. All devices operate up to 40 GHz with output power up to several hundreds of watts (discretes) and several kW (generators), and are customizable to customer specifications for aerospace, defense, satellite, 5G/6G telecom, and RF energy applications.
Is WAVEPIA a public or private company?
WAVEPIA is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was WAVEPIA founded?
WAVEPIA was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is WAVEPIA based?
WAVEPIA is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does WAVEPIA make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. GaN RF Semiconductor Devices are the primary driver. The others are RF Energy Solutions (HPGP) and custom Design Services.
Who are WAVEPIA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Qorvo, MACOM Technology Solutions, RFHIC, Wolfspeed and Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations. Broad incumbents are Mitsubishi Electric, NXP Semiconductors and Analog Devices. Emerging players are Guerrilla RF and Akoustis.
Does WAVEPIA have an API?
No public API is recorded for WAVEPIA.
What industry is WAVEPIA in?
WAVEPIA's product category is RF GaN Semiconductor Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAAAF, RF, Microwave & Wireless ICs, with a secondary code of HDAHAHAH, Power Modules (IGBT/MOSFET/SiC/GaN Modules). Its NAICS code is 334413 and its SIC code is 3674.