SoftBank Group Corp. has announced its acquisition of Ampere Computing, a prominent silicon design company, in an all-cash deal valued at $6.5 billion. Following the agreement, Ampere will become a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group while maintaining its name. Carlyle and Oracle Corp., key investors in Ampere, are divesting their stakes as part of this transaction.
The acquisition aligns with SoftBank Group's strategy to expand its AI infrastructure investments, including ventures like Cristal Intelligence and Stargate. Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp., stated that "the future of Artificial Super Intelligence requires breakthrough computing power," emphasizing that Ampere's expertise will support this vision and strengthen AI innovation in the United States.
Renee James, Founder and CEO of Ampere, expressed enthusiasm about joining SoftBank Group: "With a shared vision for advancing AI, we are excited to join SoftBank Group and partner with its portfolio of leading technology companies." She highlighted the positive impact on Ampere's team and their commitment to advancing high-performance Arm processors and AI through their AmpereOne roadmap.
Founded in Silicon Valley in 2018, Ampere initially focused on cloud-native computing but has since expanded into sustainable AI compute solutions. The company offers products catering to various cloud workloads from edge to data center environments.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is anticipated to conclude in the latter half of 2025. Post-acquisition, Ampere's headquarters will remain in Santa Clara, California.
SoftBank Group is known for investing in transformative technologies aimed at enhancing global quality of life. Its portfolio includes stakes across sectors such as AI, smart robotics, IoT, telecommunications, internet services, clean energy technology providers, and it holds a majority stake in Arm.
Ampere specializes in designing semiconductors focused on high-performance and energy-efficient sustainable AI Compute based on the Arm platform.
For further information about SoftBank Group or Ampere Computing:
- Visit [SoftBank](https://group.softbank/en)
- Visit [Ampere](https://amperecomputing.com)
Media inquiries can be directed to press@amperecomputing.com for Ampere or softbank@fgs.global.com for SoftBank Group.