Frederic Battaglia

Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Leading Starix through Innovation, Business Development, and Growth

The years 2008-2009 were challenging for the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) industry. As the economic downturn hit, vendors shifted focus to core products, and high-end UWB solutions were pushed aside. Over time, UWB lost its competitive edge as new wireless and non-wireless alternatives emerged. Many UWB companies folded, leaving only a few survivors, including us. Rather than folding, I co-founded Starix and took on the role of CEO, steering the company into new markets.

Starix evolved from Realtek’s UWB semiconductor business, but with a stronger focus on system integration. We didn’t just sell chips and RF modules; we offered specialized solutions—both at the PCB level and as finished products—built around our technology. The company fluctuated between 10 to 30 employees, and as CEO, I was heavily involved in both product development and business development, as well as overseeing pricing strategies and managing relationships with key customers.

Recognizing opportunities in two vertical markets—the Department of Defense (DoD) and the medical equipment industry—I drove our business development efforts full-speed into these segments. In the DoD space, I forged partnerships with tier-one defense contractors and built relationships with key decision-makers in the Army, Special Forces, and Air Force. I personally wrote and secured numerous SBIR, BAA, and RIF contracts, achieving a success rate well above industry average. These contracts opened doors to classified and non-classified projects, turning UWB technology from a niche player into a multi-million-dollar business opportunity for on-soldier communication and other military applications.

In the medical sector, I spearheaded partnerships with top medical equipment manufacturers, introducing industry-first products such as wireless x-ray detectors and wireless arthroscopy/endoscopy equipment. These partnerships weren’t just about selling technology—I created business models that combined licensing agreements, production ownership, and tailored pricing strategies to fit the specific needs of each partner. This led to a steady stream of multi-million-dollar annual sales for Starix.

As part of our drive toward innovation, I chaperoned employees through a data analytics bootcamp, where my main goals were twofold: first, to explore how AI could be integrated into our product offerings; second, to leverage data engineering to optimize internal processes and testing. As a technologist at heart, I didn’t just guide the employees—I participated alongside them. This hands-on experience helped us successfully incorporate AI into our solutions and streamline internal testing processes, leading to improved efficiency and better product outcomes.

My business development efforts extended to all areas of Starix. I managed key accounts, negotiated licensing agreements, and expanded our reach into new markets. At the same time, I played an active role in the entire product lifecycle—from defining product specifications and roadmaps to overseeing the pricing models and final product development. Over the years, I brought more than 10 UWB-based products to market, including modems, development kits, and finished goods.

In addition to building and nurturing key partnerships, I expanded my technical expertise into adjacent areas such as sensors, medical imaging, and embedded AI applications. This allowed us to deliver comprehensive solutions that went beyond UWB technology, further strengthening our market position.

My leadership in business development, sales, product strategy, and innovation allowed Starix to pivot successfully during a difficult economic period, transforming it into a sustainable multi-million-dollar company. I was also invited to speak at industry events to share insights on UWB technology and its applications, further establishing Starix as a leader in the field.

Expanding into New Horizons: Leading Sales, Marketing, and More at Realtek

After my time in business modeling, I took on a new challenge—building and leading the sales and marketing department for the 100-person UWB (Ultra-Wideband) business unit at Realtek. At this point, UWB technology was just maturing, and the opportunities seemed endless. My role was not only to introduce this groundbreaking technology to the market but to convince tier 1 companies that Realtek’s implementation was the best available.

The competition was fierce, with startups and other chip manufacturers vying for market dominance. Over the next two years, through strategic partnerships and relentless business development, Realtek became the market leader in UWB technology, securing over 80% market share.

This period was marked by constant travel and interaction with top executives from tier 1 and tier 2 PC manufacturers, cell phone makers, and peripheral companies. I engaged with decision-makers from major companies like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and Western Digital, discussing how our technology could transform their products. I also collaborated with innovative startups and organizations like the European Space Agency, all looking to replace cables with wireless solutions. Alongside this business development, I managed a 4-person sales team, ensuring we captured key partnerships and deals while also playing a hands-on role in managing ODM/CM relationships, negotiating pricing, and guiding customers through the product development process.

One of the most impactful decisions I made was outsourcing parts of the software development, which accelerated our time to market by six months to a year. This not only allowed us to introduce a feature-rich solution ahead of our competitors but also gave us the opportunity to establish ourselves as the most mature UWB provider in the ecosystem. We developed key applications, such as PC peripherals, projectors, and even PC-to-TV solutions, becoming essential to the growing UWB landscape.

One of the major challenges was educating the market, as ODMs and contract manufacturers often lacked the expertise to fully implement UWB technology. I took on the responsibility of managing these relationships for our customers, ensuring they had the tools and knowledge to bring their products to market successfully.

I was also deeply involved in licensing negotiations, helping secure deals that allowed other companies, including one of the largest processor manufacturers, to use our technology. These efforts led to chip sales skyrocketing from 10,000 to over 1 million units in just two years, and Realtek’s market capitalization tripled.

In addition to overseeing sales and marketing, I established and managed a newly formed 8-person Quality Assurance unit, where I developed test plans and streamlined testing processes. These testing reports were critical for tier 1 manufacturers and added value to our overall offering, further strengthening Realtek’s leadership in the UWB market.

Throughout this period, I was not just managing teams—I was actively involved in every aspect of the product lifecycle, from product definition to manufacturing and sales, ensuring our chips were a success in the market.

Transitioning to Business: Blending Technical Expertise with Financial Acumen

After years of developing cutting-edge technologies and engaging with customers and sales teams, I found myself increasingly drawn to the broader business aspects of the work I was doing. I had a deep technical background, which allowed me to provide insights and angles that others in the marketing and sales departments couldn’t. However, I knew there was one area I lacked: financial and economic knowledge. To round out my skill set and pursue a personal interest in finance, I decided to enroll in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. After completing the first of three exams, I decided it was time for a new challenge.

I wanted to shift from the technical world to the business side. While on the road and in internal meetings, I became intrigued by the work of Bell Labs' business modeling group. It struck me as the perfect launch pad for my transition into business. Armed with my newly acquired financial knowledge and a wealth of technical experience, I joined the team. Interestingly, just as I had been the first non-PhD to be hired earlier in my career, I was now the first non-MBA to join the business modeling group.

I found the work incredibly engaging. We were characterizing and modeling telecom networks from a technical perspective, but what made it unique was that these models became inputs for financial models—cash flows, profits, ROI, and more. These financial insights were then used as marketing and sales collateral by Lucent’s executives and broader sales teams to pitch to potential customers. Our models helped internal teams prioritize which features to implement first, optimizing both profitability and product development.

One of the most impactful contributions I made during this period was introducing more advanced modeling tools. While Excel was standard, I pushed the department to adopt Crystal Ball, a tool that allowed us to apply probability distributions to variables and run Monte Carlo simulations. This method gave us a range of probable outcomes rather than a simple “yes or no” prediction, offering insights like “there’s a 75% chance this project will be profitable.” To some extent, this approach was a precursor to today’s data science methods, where data is used to analyze potential outcomes. I convinced the department to purchase licenses and trained the team on its use. This was a game changer. Customers loved the probabilistic models, and Crystal Ball became a widely used tool across our team.

In addition to modeling and analysis, I chaired monthly learning sessions where I introduced tools, concepts, and techniques that could help us improve our work. I also managed relationships with key accounts, including Verizon and Sprint, helping to demonstrate the value of Lucent’s offerings to their leadership.