Qualcomm to acquire chip designer Alphawave Semi for $2.4B

Qualcomm announced it has reached an agreement to acquire British chip design firm Alphawave Semi in a deal that’s reportedly valued at $2.4 billion. The deal will play a key role in Qualcomm’s growth across the data center market while complementing its Oryon mobile CPU and Hexagon NPU development.

Alphawave also holds key IP across custom silicon chips, AI and connectivity products. It also has “industry-leading high-speed connectivity solutions” for autonomous vehicles and solid-state storage.

Qualcomm’s acquisition of Alphawave Semi represents a significant milestone for us and an opportunity for our business to join forces with a respected industry leader and drive value to our customers.

By combining our resources and expertise, we will be well-positioned to expand our product offerings, reach a broader customer base, and enhance our technological capabilities.

Together, we will unlock new opportunities for growth, drive innovation, and create a leading player in AI compute and connectivity solutions. - Tony Pialis, president and CEO of Alphawave Semi

Alphawave was founded in 2017. As of 2023, it had over 829 employees and is forecast to reach an addressable market of $39 billion by 2027. The Qualcomm acquisition deal will now have to pass UK regulator approval and if all goes well, it should be completed in Q1, 2026.

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