Recent #investment news in the semiconductor industry
➀ Softbank has announced the planned acquisition of Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion in cash;
➁ Ampere Computing will retain its name and product lines such as AmpereOne and Ampere Altra;
➂ The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2025, with major investors selling their stakes.
➀ AI has become an ever-accelerating treadmill, with costs increasing exponentially.
➁ Jensen Huang highlighted the need for significantly more computation power due to agentic AI, with a requirement 100 times greater than last year's expectations.
➂ Nvidia is increasing its GPU generation frequency to keep pace, as the AI treadmill is driven by new iterations with enhanced capabilities, such as Perception, Generative, Agentic AI, and the upcoming Physical AI.
➀ The legendary futures trader Guo Yanchao enters the chip industry, investing in Beijing Chenzhi Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd., and stirring up the chip market.
➁ The shift to centralized architecture in automotive electronics is challenging the current landscape, with domestic players struggling to replace imported central domain controller chips.
➂ Chenzhi Semiconductor, with its high-level ASIL-D automotive chips and experienced team, aims to compete with international giants and become a key player in the domestic substitution of chips.
➀ The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has achieved a record six-month period for contract wins involving the European Space Agency (ESA).
➁ The agency highlights a significant increase in funds for ESA programmes, with an additional £112 million (€134 million) in contracts for the UK space sector between June 2022 and December 2024.
➂ The UK now receives 99p back in contracts for every £1 invested, after overheads, marking an improvement from the previous 93p.
➀ TSMC and Intel are reportedly still working on a potential joint venture to run Intel's manufacturing capacity;
➁ The joint venture would involve leading American fabless chip designers such as AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia, and Qualcomm;
➂ The initiative is in response to a request from President Trump's administration to strengthen Intel and ensure continued American control.