In this interview, I had the opportunity to speak with Manlio Allegra, Co-Founder & CEO of Polaris Wireless, a startup company that provides a software-based location system for mobile phones.  Their technology is fundamentally different from GPS, which requires hardware, and doesn’t work well indoors or in dense urban areas where satellite line-of-sight is difficult to achieve.  The core of the Polaris system is its Wireless Location Signatures (WLS) technology, which is based on the fact that every location has a unique radio frequency (RF) signature, which can be determined by signals from surrounding cell phone towers.  Accuracies of 30-60 meters have been achieved by the Polaris system.

During our conversation, Manlio discusses the WLS technology, covering system calibration, RF signature processing, accuracy, and privacy concerns, as well as new positioning development projects in the works.  He also touches on some business aspects, sharing the challenges of competitors in this space, and highlighting applications that integrate well with the positioning data they provide (public safety / E911, consumer location-based services, etc).

Manlio provides a great comparison of WLS and GPS, and talks about the complementary aspects of the technologies, since WLS works best in dense urban areas, and GPS is strongest in rural regions; a hybrid solution would provide optimum utility to users.  He also mentions that for the millions on the network without GPS hardware, Polaris can provide an easily deployable locating solution where no other option exists.

During the second half of the interview, Manlio focuses on entrepreneurial advice, sharing his insights on network/carrier partnership negotiations, investor selection and communication, and the long runway required for companies in the mobile space.  As a business school graduate from Stanford, he provides step-by-step tips for one’s early career path, including work experience that is beneficial to have before diving into an entrepreneurial venture.

For a visual understanding of how WLS works, check out this cool demo!

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Posted in Mobile |