Athena Wireless Communications, a tenant at the City of Surprise’s city-run business incubator, has been acquired by Google Inc.
Working out of Surprise’s AZ TechCelerator, the company develops high capacity wireless connectivity systems.
Athena Wireless was founded in Surprise in 2009 by CEO Eduardo Tinoco and became the first client of the AZ TechCelerator when it opened in 2010. In fall 2012, the company was awarded a $250,000 grant through the Arizona Commerce Authority’s Arizona Innovation Challenge, which put them in a position to further advance their technology. The grant money, coupled with the support of the City’s business incubator, has played a significant role in the company’s development.
The acquisition of Athena Wireless comes after another AZ TechCelerator success story. In January, telemedicine and mobile healthcare company MD24 graduated out of the business incubator and into a 10,000 square foot office space in Surprise. The company, which started with just 3 employees, has grown to more than 100 and is expected to reach 250 employees by the end of the year.