Veniam
| Company type | Private startup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Internet of things, Mesh networking |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Mountain View , United States |
Key people | João Barros (CEO), Roy Russell (Co-founder), Susana Sargento (Co-founder), Robin Chase (Co-founder) |
| Products | Veniam Platform |
| Parent | Nexar (acquired in 2022) |
Veniam was a startup focused on developing extensive WiFi mesh networks by utilizing moving vehicles such as taxis and city buses. Founded in 2012, the company was based in Mountain View, California. In 2014, Veniam raised $4.9 million in capital from investors including True Ventures, USV, and Cane Investments. Its technology has been implemented on more than 600 vehicles—comprising buses, taxis, and garbage trucks—in Porto, Portugal, providing connectivity to approximately 230,000 users. The company’s approach involved converting mobile vehicles into wireless access points to establish mesh networks that enable smart city functionalities. Each vehicle is outfitted with a NetRider device equipped with Wi-Fi (802.11p), DSRC, GPS, and 4G/LTE communication capabilities. In 2022, Nexar acquired Veniam.
Company
The founders of Veniam include CEO João Barros, Roy Russell (previously CTO at Zipcar), Susana Sargento (professor at the University of Aveiro), and Robin Chase (former CEO of both Zipcar and Buzzcar).
Products
- Veniam Platform
Awards
- 2018 TU Automotive – Best Connected Product/Service
- 2017 ScaleUp Portugal Award – Technology Winner
- 2017 Telecom Council Spiffy – San Andreas Award for Most Disruptive Technology
- 2017 CNBC 50 Disruptors – acknowledged for groundbreaking innovations
- 2016 TU Automotive – Best Auto Mobility Product/Service
- 2016 CNBC 50 Disruptors – recognized for transforming the business environment
- 2015 WBA Wi-Fi Industry Awards – Best New Venture
- 2015 WBA Scale Up Award – excellence in innovation and market solutions
- 2015 Red Herring Top 100 Award
- 2015 NOS Innovation Award
- Winner of Portuguese Venture Competition “Building Global Innovators” (ISCTE–IUL; MIT Portugal)
- CableLabs Innovation Showcase – Most Likely to Succeed Idea in Cable Industry
- 2015 Gartner “Cool Vendor” in Smart Cities category
- 2015 FierceWireless “Fierce 15” – Top Wireless Company
Investors
- Cane Investments
- Cisco Investments
- Liberty Global
- Orange Digital Ventures
- True Ventures
- USV
- Verizon Ventures
- Yamaha Motor Ventures And Laboratory Silicon Valley