Abside Networks designs and builds modern 5G wireless network equipment for government, military, and commercial use. On August 13 they held a kickoff event to celebrate the opening of their first in-house manufacturing facility at 100 Discovery Way in Acton. Congresswoman Lori Trahan, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, was the keynote speaker. Other attendees included Amanda Toman, director of the federal program Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF) and many state and local officials. Town Manager John Mangiaratti read a proclamation.
Laurent Perraud, founder, CEO, CFO, and board of directors’ chair led off the meeting highlighting Abside’s founding and growth. In 2012, with $2500 and a six-week window to get a business started, Perraud successfully grew the company as a supplier to Google’s Loon project. A pivotal moment came in 2024 when Abside was awarded a $27million grant by PWSCIF. This allowed the company, then in Concord, to grow from 12 employees to thirty-five.
Two years ago, Abside won a $46.8 million grant, also from the PWSCIF, but this time emanating from the Chips Act. The Chips and Science Act became law on August 9, 2022. The Biden initiative funded the “America International Technology Security and Innovation Fund to provide for international information and communications technology security and semiconductor supply chain activities, including to support the development and adoption of secure and trusted telecommunications technologies, secure semiconductors, secure semiconductors supply chains, and other emerging technologies” according to the U.S. Congressional website.
Before the act became law Congresswoman Lori Trahan’s website proclaimed: “This legislation … boosts the tremendous research and development happening at national laboratories and universities like UMass Lowell. Together, these investments will combat inflation, strengthen our economy, and boost our national security, and I look forward to seeing President Biden sign the legislation into law.” At the ceremony Trahan said that shortly after the Chips Act passed, she convened a roundtable at Middlesex Community College that “brought together educators, manufacturers, technical partners to talk about this landmark law, a law that included $280 billion in federal investments to rebuild America’s semiconductor capacity, power new research, and grow a skilled workforce here at home.”
Abside was one of seven companies dividing $273 million from the Chips Act in December of 2024. The PWSCIF intends on awarding a total of $1.5 billion over the next decade. The Department of Commerce website says: “The PWSCIF supports the development of open and interoperable wireless networks and equipment to help drive competition, strengthen global supply chain resilience and lower costs for consumers and network operators.” With this infusion of capital Abside plans to double its workforce.
After the speakers finished, Perraud led a tour of the building which has 30,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Much of the main floor had colored markings denoting where manufacturing machinery will be placed. Upstairs there were offices and several workstations and demonstrations. The open space was filled with circuit boards, 3D printers, robotic arms, and assembly tables. The intricacies of the products that Abside sells were lost on this reporter but many if not all the men and women on the tour were in the same industry and enthusiastically nodded at the points Perraud was making.
When asked how the name Abside was selected, Michelle Hutchinson, who heads up publicity for the company, said, “Abside is the architectural name of a cathedral component in the most sacred place behind the altar. It reflects the aim of perfection of the cathedral builders and of the patience to build in the right, sustainable way.”
