Keyssa’s custom solid state connector image: Keyssa

Keyssa, a Campbell, California-based startup that’s working on technology intended to enable high-speed wireless data transfer between devices, has announced it has hired Rubén Caballero, a 14-year running Apple veteran, to serve as ‘Chief Wireless Strategist’. Caballero is joining Keyssa after a nearly 15-year stint at Apple, where he headed wireless efforts, including leading designs for the first iPhone and iPad as well as the Apple Watch.

At Apple, Caballero was one of the founding leaders of the iPhone hardware team, and served as a VP of engineering for 14 years. During his tenure, he founded, built and oversaw Apple’s Wireless Design & Technology Group, a team of more than 1,000 engineers in 26 countries working on all of Apple’s products and disciplines including antenna design, wireless validation, field engineering, radio frequency (RF) architecture, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), certification and regulation and production testing.

At Keyssa, Caballero will leverage his decades of engineering experience to speed up ongoing commercialization of Keyssa’s millimeter wave (mmWave)-based “Kiss” technology, which is aimed at enabling wireless high-speed, low-latency and low-power data transfer between devices, that is data transfer without the use of cables or connectors.

“Only a handful of people have clear visibility into future generations of wireless technologies. Rubén is one of them. He has been at the forefront of defining how device and ecosystem connectivity is defined and deployed successfully widely in the market.” Keyssa CEO Eric Almgren said in a statement.

“As Chief Wireless Strategist, Rubén will help develop Keyssa’s mmWave technology and product roadmap in ways that will accelerate our ability to help our OEM partners commercialize the next breakthrough in mobile and wireless data transmission.” He said.

Keyssa, founded in 2009, developed its Kiss wireless data-transfer solution based on a custom solid-state connector that uses Extremely High Frequencies (EHF) to transfer data between devices. The Campbell, California-based company has more than 280 patent filings to its name. According to Crunchbase data, Keyssa has raised $47 million in total funding. Its investors include Intel Capital, Samsung, Nest founder Tony Fadell (also an Apple veteran), Playground Global and Dolby Family Ventures.