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Form SC 13G



                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                  SCHEDULE 13G



                  INFORMATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1
                    UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



                             Novatel Wireless, Inc.
                             ----------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                                  Common Stock
                         ------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   66987M109
                                 --------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                               December 31, 2001
             -------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

           [ ]     Rule 13d-1(b)

           [X]     Rule 13d-1(c)

           [ ]     Rule 13d-1(d)



                                       13G



CUSIP No.
66987M109


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.      Name of Reporting Persons:
        I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).
        Ventures West Capital Ltd.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.      Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions):

        (a) [ ]

        (b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.      SEC Use Only
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.      Citizenship or Place of Organization:
        Canada
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Shares           5.      Sole Voting Power:
Beneficially Owned                 6,480,786
By Each Reporting          -----------------------------------------------------
Person With                6.      Shared Voting Power:
                                   0
                           -----------------------------------------------------
                           7.      Sole Dispositive Power:
                                   6,480,786
                           -----------------------------------------------------
                           8.      Shared Dispositive Power:
                                   0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.      Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person:
        6,480,786
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.     Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See
        Instructions)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.     Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9):
        11.2%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.     Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions):
        CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                       13G                     Page 2 of 5 pages


ITEM 1.

        (a)     Name of Issuer:
                Novatel Wireless, Inc.

        (b)     Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
                9360 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 110
                San Diego, California 92121

ITEM 2.

        (a)     Name of Person Filing:
                Ventures West Capital Ltd.

        (b)     Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:
                1285 West Pender Street, Suite 280
                Vancouver, British Columbia
                Canada V6E 4B1

        (c)     Citizenship:
                Canada

        (d)     Title of Class of Securities:
                Common Stock

        (e)     CUSIP Number:
                66987M109

ITEM 3.      IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULES 13d-1(b) OR 13d-2(b)
             OR (c), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

        (a)     [ ] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act;

        (b)     [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act;

        (c)     [ ] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act;

        (d)     [ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                    Investment Company Act;

        (e)     [ ] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
                    Investment Advisors Act of 1940;

        (f)     [ ] Employee Benefit Plan Pension Fund which is subject to the
                    provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
                    1974 or Endowment Fund;

        (g)     [ ] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Rule
                    13d-1(b)(ii)(G);

        (h)     [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
                    Federal Deposit Insurance Act;

        (i)     [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                    investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
                    Company Act of 1940;

        (j)     [ ] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).



                                       13G                     Page 3 of 5 pages


ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP

        (a)     Amount beneficially owned: 6,480,786 shares, including (i)
                2,892,873 shares of common stock, warrants to purchase 1,443,886
                shares of common stock and 1,298,701 shares of common stock
                issuable upon conversion of 1,000 shares of Series A Convertible
                Preferred Stock held of record by Bank of Montreal Capital
                Corporation, which is managed by Ventures West Management TIP,
                Inc., an entity wholly owned by Ventures West Capital Ltd., and
                (b) 433,938 shares of common stock, warrants to purchase 216,583
                shares of common stock and 194,805 shares of common stock
                issuable upon conversion of 150 shares of Series A Convertible
                Preferred Stock held of record by Ventures West Investment Ltd.,
                an 85% owned subsidiary of Ventures West Capital Ltd.

        (b)     Percent of class:
                11.2%

        (c)     Number of shares as to which the person has:

                (i)     Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
                        6,480,786

                (ii)    Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
                        0

                (iii)   Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                        6,480,786

                (iv)    Shares power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                        0

ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS

If the statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof
the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five
percent of the class of securities, check the following  [ ].

ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON

Not applicable.

ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE
        SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY

Not applicable.

ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

Not applicable.

ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP

Not applicable.

ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the
securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose
of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the securities
and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in
any transaction having that purpose or effect.



                                       13G                     Page 4 of 5 pages


                                    SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.


                                       VENTURES WEST CAPITAL LTD.


                                         /s/  ROBIN J. LOUIS
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       By: Robin J. Louis
                                       Title: President

                                       Date: January 31, 2002



                                       13G                     Page 5 of 5 pages