San Diego's Wiliot to Begin Mass Producing Bluetooth Stickers

Giants in technology and consumer products are funneling more cash into a small tech startup in Rancho Bernardo that’s developing tiny Bluetooth stickers that can transform everyday items — like clothing, wallets, or Amazon packages — to trackable “connected” devices.

The startup, called Wiliot, just raised $20 million from PepsiCo and Verizon’s venture capital arm, among several other investors. Last year, the company attracted the attention of tech giants Amazon and Samsung, which have also backed Wiliot.

With the new cash, the startup’s executives say they’re ramping up to mass produce their tiny Bluetooth stickers, and they have customers lining up at the door. The company already has orders for hundreds of thousands of units.

Co-headquartered in San Diego (Rancho Bernardo) and Israel, Wiliot was founded by three former top executives at Wilocity, a chipmaker that was acquired by Qualcomm for $300 million in 2014. That industry connection transferred to the new startup, with Qualcomm Ventures jumping on board as an early investor of Wiliot. PepsiCo and Verison's venture capital arm, along with other investors like Amazon and Samsung, help raise $20 million. 

Since it began in 2017, the startup has been designing a Bluetooth chip that would be small enough to stick on anything and cheap enough to be  disposable. Their chip is the size of a postage stamp, has no batteries, and is powered by leftover radio signals.

The company plans to hire two applications engineers at its San Diego office. Click here to learn more.