Qualcomm, the giant chipmaker best known for powering smartphones, is making a major move into the robotics industry. The company announced on Tuesday that it is acquiring Arduino, a popular electronics maker whose simple, affordable circuit boards are a favorite of hobbyists, startups, and robotics labs.
The deal, for which no price was announced, gives Qualcomm a direct line to the grassroots of the robotics industry. Arduino’s products are not powerful enough for commercial products, but they are incredibly popular for prototyping and testing out new ideas. By acquiring Arduino, Qualcomm aims to foster loyalty among the next generation of robot makers. The plan is simple: when these small startups and hobbyists eventually turn their experiments into real products, Qualcomm wants to be the one to sell them the powerful, commercial-grade chips they’ll need.
This is a strategic move for Qualcomm, which is trying to diversify its business beyond the slowing smartphone market. The company is facing new competition in the robotics space from rivals like Nvidia, which has been very successful at getting its developer kits into the hands of robotics startups.
As part of the deal, Arduino will release its first-ever board powered by a Qualcomm chip. The new “Uno Q” will be powerful enough to run some cutting-edge AI, a major step up from current Arduino boards. Qualcomm says it plans to keep Arduino running as an independent company and won’t make any major changes to its operations or its vibrant developer community.
