Qualcomm has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Alphawave IP Group plc (Alphawave Semi) through its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Aqua Acquisition Sub LLC. The recommended acquisition is valued at an implied enterprise value of approximately US$2.4 billion.
This acquisition is positioned to support Qualcomm’s strategic expansion into the data center sector. The company’s Qualcomm Oryon CPU and Hexagon NPU processors are designed to address the increasing demand for high-performance, low-power computing, driven by the growth of AI inferencing and the ongoing shift towards custom CPUs in data center environments.
Alphawave Semi is recognized for its work in high-speed wired connectivity and compute technologies. The company delivers intellectual property (IP), custom silicon, connectivity products, and chiplets that contribute to faster, more reliable data transfer with enhanced performance and reduced power consumption.
Alphawave Semi’s offerings form part of the foundational infrastructure for next-generation services across various high-growth applications, including data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), data networking, and data storage.
The completion of this acquisition is anticipated during the first calendar quarter of 2026, as per regulatory approvals.
Commenting on the deal, Cristiano Amon, president and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated, said:
Under Tony’s leadership, Alphawave Semi has developed leading high-speed wired connectivity and compute technologies that are complementary to our power-efficient CPU and NPU cores. Qualcomm’s advanced custom processors are a natural fit for data center workloads. The combined teams share the goal of building advanced technology solutions and enabling next-level connected computing performance across a wide array of high growth areas, including data center infrastructure.
Tony Pialis, president and CEO of Alphawave Semi, said:
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.