Globalfoundries wants to take over CPU veteran MIPS Technologies

Another takeover is in the offing for CPU designer MIPS Technologies. The chip contract manufacturer Globalfoundries wants to take over MIPS – both companies have already agreed on the formalities. They are keeping quiet about the financial details. The takeover is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

MIPS was originally founded in 1984 as MIPS Computer Systems and specialized in the development of its CPU instruction set architecture Microprocessor Without Interlocked Pipeline Stages. This was already a RISC architecture (Reduced Instruction Set Computer).

Meanwhile, however, MIPS has switched to the development of CPU cores with the open instruction set RISC-V and AI computing units. This includes designs for vehicles (automotive) and edge systems.

Manufacturing technology and designs from a single source

Globalfoundries intends to continue MIPS as an independent company. The acquired intellectual property (IP) is intended to expand the manufacturer portfolio. Globalfoundries is likely to strongly adapt future designs to its production processes to attract customers with customizable chips. The company will then not only manufacture the chips, but also help with the design.

Meanwhile, the takeover is unlikely to be too expensive. In 2013, the British GPU developer Imagination Technologies acquired MIPS for 100 million US dollars. After investor Canyon Bridge Capital Partners took over Imagination in 2017, MIPS went to Tallwood Venture Capital. In 2018, the AI start-up Wave Computing took over MIPS. As part of its insolvency, MIPS was spun off again as an independent company.

(mma)