Skybitz

SkyBitz, based in Sterling, Virginia, is a United States company that offers a trailer tracking service.

SkyBitz was founded by Matthew Schor in the early 1990s, and was known at the time as Eagle Eye Technologies, Inc. In 1994, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Eagle Eye the first of two contracts to design a satellite based tracking system. In 1997 the [http://www.cit.org/ Virginia Center for Innovative Technology] provided a [http://www.vtmagazine.vt.edu/sum97/feature3.html crucial research grant] that allowed Eagle Eye to tap the talents of professor Warren Stutzman at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

In 1998 the United States Air Force awarded the Eagle Eye the first of another two contracts to miniaturize the tracking system and reduce its power consumption. The company's Chief Scientist, Dr. Mark Sullivan, and a Vice President, Mr. James Kilfeather, invented and received patents on many of the [http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6725158.html technologies used by SkyBitz.] The company's Chief Technical Officer, [http://fleetowner.com/mag/fleet_assets_action/ Jay Brosius] , led the design effort for the communications protocol [Slotted Aloha] and architecture.

It was announced in October 1998 that World Wireless Communications of Utah entered into [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UNZ/is_1998_Oct_5/ai_53058523 an agreement] to produce a Global Locating System Communicator (GLS) for asset location. With the first GLS communicators built Eagle Eye was able to demonstrate the GLS technology via the [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/601/msat/msat.html MSAT geostationary satellite] built by Hughes Space and Electronics, now owned by Boeing. The MSAT class satellite, launched in 1995 with the designation AMSC-1. The MSAT satellites are operated by [http://www.msvlp.com Mobile Satellite Ventures] of Reston, Virginia.

In July 2000, [http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2001/06/25/story3.html Zero Gravity Venture Partners] invested in a Series A venture capital round. With this investment, SkyBitz was able to bring to market a unique tracking device which operated via MSAT satellite and an associated software service to deliver tracking information to trucking fleets throughout the United States.

The Office of Freight Management, part of the Federal Highway Administration, hosted the "Intermodal Freight Security and Technology Workshop" in Long Beach California on April 27 through April 29 of 2002. The [http://www.transportation.northwestern.edu/sources/frt_historical/SEC/Wolfe_SecurityTech_0402.pdf extensive report] by [http://www.rfidjournal.com/live2007/t_l_michael_wolfe.html Michael Wolfe] , reported on the benefits of GLS over GPS and discusses integration of nuclear sensors for monitoring of intermodal containers for the presence of radioactive materials.

In early 2002, the company succeeded in attracting a long time transportation industry veteran, Michael Fitzgerald, as CEO. In October 2002 the company announced its [http://driversmag.com/ar/fleet_skybitz_launches_gls/index.html commercial launch.] Landstar was one of the [http://heavydutytrucking.com/2004/01/058a0401.asp early adopters of the service] in January 2003. The FCC [http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-230453A1.pdf approved] expanding SkyBitz's license from 20,000 units to 100,000 units to support its growth. In November 2002, [http://www.aiggig.com/AIG/Private+Equity/Sponsored+Funds/AIG+Highstar/ AIG Highstar Capital] and [http://www.cordovaventures.com/ Cordova Ventures] led an [http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-02zg.html $18M Series B investment in SkyBitz] . With this investment SkyBitz was strongly backed and able to compete with existing firms such as [http://www.terion.com Terion] , [http://www.axonn.com Axonn] , and the [http://www.qualcomm.com/qwbs/ wireless business unit of Qualcomm.]

In January 2003, SkyBitz [http://www.bizwiz.com/bizwizwire/pressrelease/2585/848e8y4fx4eseje8884.htm announced its existing] manufacturing relationship with Solectron including new product introduction (NPI), test development, printed circuit board layout and design, card assembly and design of the external housing for SkyBitz's Mobile Terminal. The momentum continued to build with the announcement of a [http://www.isourceonline.com/article_arch.asp?article_id=3628 $1 million grant] from the Transportation Security Administration for implementing SkyBitz's Global Locating System (GLS) technology at the Port of Long Beach. The results of this grant where [http://www.maritimesecurityexpo.com/whitepapersarticles/A_MARAD%20Container%20Trkg%20&%20Mon.pdf reported on] to the Maritime Administration. SkyBitz had joined with [http://www.wherenet.com WhereNet Corporation] for this groundbreaking demonstration of a combined port tracking and satellite tracking system for container security.

Helen Bentley, a [http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/b_three_sections_with_teasers/clientlist_page_B.htm registered lobbyist] for SkyBitz was quoted as saying "SkyBitz is unique in its ability to track sea containers in real time, via satellite, while simultaneously lowering the operating costs for global sea container transportation operations". Matthew Schor had led the company from its founding in the mid 1990s all the way to successful product and service introduction in 2003. The company he founded had achieved a leading position in the emerging market for tracking of assets via satellite. In February 2003, Matthew Schor was interviewed on MSNBC for a segment titled [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3072951/ "U.S. ports seen vulnerable. Officials seek to tighten security with technology, new rules".]

In March 2003 the company hired a [http://www.bizwiz.com/bizwizwire/pressrelease/2618/848ej7sjx47jsjef88j.htm new CEO] and CFO.

In January 2004, [http://www.invernesscap.com/ Inverness Capital] and Motorola joined in backing SkyBitz in a [http://www.vfinance.com/invest/invest_3.asp?ToolPage=vcim_detail.asp&id=4849 $16M Series C investment] . In March 2004 the [http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=51766&news_category_id=5 CEO resigned] and the company's CFO became the CEO. The company now vies with Terion for leadership in tracking of trailers. Both Terion and SkyBitz are touting roughly equal numbers of trailers tracking, or 100,000 for each company.

On January 11th, 2007, [http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/ge/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070111005650&newsLang=en&ndmConfigId=1001109&vnsId=681 GE Equipment Services] announced the acquisition of one of SkyBitz's primary competitors, Terion. According to the press release, Terion has over 100,000 units in service in the U.S. and Europe serving Wal*Mart, JB Hunt, the U.S. Postal Service, and Knight Transportation. GE's [http://www.ge.com/equipmentservices/assetintelligence/ Asset Intelligence] unit is headed up by Thomas Konditi [http://www.ge.com/equipmentservices/assetintelligence/about/press/bios/thomas_konditi.html] . Veriwise operates over cellular and satellite (Globalstar and Orbcomm) networks providing a powerful network redundancy.

In January 2007, Abdul Hamid Rana, Ph.D. was brought on as CTO.

In February 2007, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC Capital Partners) led the fourth round of funding totaling $10 million.

In Summer 2008 Major Management changes. The VP Engineering/CTO is changed again for the nth time.

References

External links

* [http://www.skybitz.com SkyBitz]
* [http://www.msvlp.com Mobile Satellite Ventures] - the exclusive communication provider for SkyBitz