SoftBank Group is set to acquire Ampere Computing, a prominent designer of Arm-based server chips, in a significant deal valued at $6.5 billion. Founded in 2017 by Renee James, a former Intel executive, Ampere has quickly become a leader in semiconductor innovation. The acquisition is expected to conclude in the second half of 2025, with Ampere continuing to operate as an independent subsidiary with its headquarters in Santa Clara, California.
Renee James, who spent 28 years at Intel and rose to the position of president, has been instrumental in shaping Ampere's success. Under her leadership as CEO, Ampere has developed an Arm-based server chip that serves as an alternative to the widely-used x86 architecture. This innovation aligns with SoftBank's broader vision of advancing AI technology and computing power.
"Ampere's expertise in semiconductors and high-performance computing will help accelerate this vision, and deepens our commitment to AI innovation in the United States," said Masayoshi Son, SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO.
Ampere's team of 1,000 semiconductor engineers will continue their work under the SoftBank umbrella, maintaining their focus on cutting-edge semiconductor design. The deal comes as key stakeholders Carlyle Group and Oracle have committed to selling their stakes in Ampere, paving the way for SoftBank's acquisition.
The strategic move is set against a backdrop of increasing demand for Arm-based chips in cloud computing. Leading cloud infrastructure providers are embracing this technology, with Amazon Web Services offering its Graviton Arm chip for rent and Microsoft recently introducing its Cobalt 100 Arm-based cloud computing instances.