Fon

Parents

*Architects: Telecomm, Networking, WiFi, VideoTeleConferencing(VTC), RFID, MDI Companies
*Portfolio Companies: Google
*Portfolio Companies: Sequoia
Index Ventures
Industry: Spain
Skype

$22 million (Google, Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Skype)
400,000 users (including 40,000 Americans added since October)
Employees: 90 (2007)
Fon sells a $30 wireless router to consumers.
Fon's network boasts more than 70,000 hotspots.
Initially focused on Europe and Asia, Fon plans a big push in the United States in the coming months (2007).
Madrid, Spain
Martin Varsavsky, Founder, Fon
signed as-yet unannounced deal with first major U.S. broadband service provider
Spanish company that's building a global community of hotspots one router at a time
They hook it up, register their node, and agree to share their broadband with other "Foneros" for free.
Those who want to charge outsiders for access can do so, and Fon gets a cut. Likewise, if someone wants to pay $2 or $3 to use t