Qualcomm is set to acquire Alphawave for $2.4 billion, bolstering its AI and data centre capabilities. The deal aims to accelerate Qualcomm's expansion into data centres, leveraging Alphawave's high-speed wired connectivity and compute technologies. Alphawave's portfolio, including custom silicon and chiplets, complements Qualcomm's Oryon CPUs and Hexagon NPUs, addressing the growing demand for high-performance, low-power computing driven by AI inferencing. Alphawave shareholders can opt for 183 pence per share or a share swap. The acquisition is expected to complete in early 2026, pending regulatory approvals and shareholder agreement.
Alphawave, known for its expertise in high-speed connectivity solutions, provides IP, custom silicon, and connectivity products crucial for faster and more reliable data transfer. This acquisition marks Qualcomm's third M&A deal in 2025, following Autotalks and Edge Impulse, highlighting its strategic focus on expanding its technology portfolio in AI, IoT, and automotive sectors. The acquisition will enable next-level connected computing performance across various high-growth areas, including data centre infrastructure.
Tony Pialis, CEO of Alphawave Semi, sees the merger as an opportunity to expand product offerings and technological capabilities, creating a leading player in AI compute and connectivity solutions. The deal represents a 96% premium to Alphawave's closing price before Qualcomm's interest was disclosed, with the board recommending shareholders accept the offer.
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