SoftBank to Acquire Ampere Computing in $6.5 Billion All-Cash Deal
Strategic Move to Strengthen AI Infrastructure Investments
SoftBank Group has announced its acquisition of Ampere Computing, a semiconductor design firm, in a $6.5 billion all-cash transaction. The deal, which is expected to close in the latter half of 2025, will position Ampere as a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank, further expanding the Japanese conglomerate’s footprint in AI and high-performance computing.
Key Investors to Exit as SoftBank Takes Full Control
Ampere, a Santa Clara-based chip design company, was founded by Renee James, a former Intel executive. Its major investors, Carlyle and Oracle, will divest their stakes as part of the acquisition. According to SoftBank’s statement, Carlyle holds a controlling 59.65% share in the company, while Oracle owns 32.27%. The startup employs approximately 1,000 semiconductor engineers.
Past Valuation and SoftBank’s Longstanding Interest
SoftBank had previously considered purchasing a minority stake in Ampere in 2021, when the company was valued at $8 billion, according to Bloomberg. This latest acquisition marks a full takeover, reflecting SoftBank’s strategic push into AI infrastructure and computing power.
Strengthening Synergies with Arm Holdings
A major driving force behind the acquisition is Ampere’s alignment with SoftBank’s chip design subsidiary, Arm Holdings. Ampere has developed a server chip based on the Arm compute platform, solidifying a strong technological partnership between the two companies.
SoftBank originally acquired Arm Holdings for $32 billion in 2016, later taking it public in 2023. Ampere’s client portfolio includes tech giants such as Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud, Alibaba, and Tencent, alongside enterprise hardware providers like HPE and Supermicro.
Boosting AI and Compute Capabilities
SoftBank highlighted the Ampere acquisition as a pivotal step in its AI and high-performance computing initiatives. The move follows a series of strategic investments made by the company in recent months. These include a partnership with OpenAI to develop an advanced enterprise AI system known as “Cristal Intelligence,” as well as investments in the AI infrastructure project Stargate, which is constructing data centers for OpenAI across the United States. Additionally, SoftBank has purchased a former Sharp factory in Japan as part of its AI expansion plans.
Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, emphasized the critical role of computing power in the future of AI:
“The future of Artificial Super Intelligence requires breakthrough 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.”
Ampere’s Vision for AI and Computing
Since its founding in 2017, Ampere has evolved from specializing in cloud-native computing to focusing on sustainable AI-driven compute solutions. Its leadership believes that the partnership with SoftBank will provide a significant boost to its research and development initiatives.
Renee James, Ampere’s CEO and founder, expressed enthusiasm about the deal:
“With a shared vision for advancing AI, we are excited to join SoftBank Group and partner with its portfolio of leading technology companies. This is a fantastic outcome for our team, and we are excited to drive forward our AmpereOne roadmap for high-performance Arm processors and AI.”
A Game-Changing Acquisition in the AI Sector
SoftBank’s acquisition of Ampere Computing underscores its commitment to shaping the future of AI and semiconductor technology. As AI applications continue to demand greater processing capabilities, this strategic move is expected to provide SoftBank with a significant advantage in the industry.
For more details, visit SoftBank Group’s official statement here and Ampere Computing’s website here.
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