Technology giant Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM) announced it will acquire open-source hardware and software company Arduino, a deal that is expected to boost the company’s edge computing and AI.
The Arduino Acquisition
Qualcomm is acquiring Arduino in a move aimed at enhancing the company’s portfolio of edge technologies and products, following several recent product unveilings by the company last month.
The company said the acquisition will strengthen Qualcomm’s commitment to have a full-stack edge platform across hardware, software and cloud services.
Together, the companies will combine Arduino’s community and affordability with Qualcomm’s processing, graphics, computer vision and AI. Arduino has over 33 million active users who will gain access to Qualcomm’s tech stack and global reach.
Arduino’s UNO Q is a single board computer with “dual brain” architecture powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 processor running a Linux environment.
UNO Q is meant to help with AI-powered vision and sound solutions, including smart homes and industrial automation systems.
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What Executives Are Saying
Qualcomm’s Group General Manager, Automotive, Industrial and Embedded IoT Nakul Duggal praised Qualcomm’s recent applications of Arduino, Edge Impulse and Foundries.io as the company accelerates its presence in the leading-edge AI space.
“Arduino has built a vibrant global community of developers and creators,” Duggal said. “By combining their open-source ethos with Qualcomm Technologies’ portfolio of leading edge products and technologies, we’re helping enable millions of developers to create intelligent solutions faster and more efficiently.”
Duggal said solutions created will have a path towards commercialization on a global scale.
Arduino highlighted the combination and its upcoming UNO Q launch.
“Joining forces with Qualcomm Technologies allows us to supercharge our commitment to accessibility and innovation,” Arduino CEO Fabio Violante said. “The launch of UNO Q is just the beginning – we’re excited to empower our global community with powerful tools that make AI development intuitive, scalable and open to everyone.”
Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi said the combination will help provide “cutting-edge AI tools” to the company’s community.
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