This strategic acquisition significantly expands Silicon Labs’ wireless hardware and software solutions. Bluegiga’s market-proven Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules, software stacks and development tools complement Silicon Labs’ 802.15.4 ZigBee and Thread mesh networking software, ultra-low-power sub-GHz solutions, and wireless MCU and transceiver product offerings.
Silicon Labs completed the acquisition of Bluegiga Technologies Oy on January 30, 2015. Under the agreement, Bluegiga investors received approximately $61 million in cash. Founded in 2000, Bluegiga is an established supplier of short-range wireless connectivity solutions to OEMs, device manufacturers and system integrators, including Bluetooth wireless audio streaming solutions. Bluegiga’s WT32 Audio Module supports CSR aptX that targets high-end stereo markets and is able to offer higher audio quality for different OEM applications, including high-end Bluetooth A2DP stereo headsets, wireless speaker systems and iPod speaker-dock wireless adapters, and the latest Bluetooth enabled portable media players and music phones.
The combined wireless connectivity portfolio and development ecosystem will enable Silicon Labs to address a broader range of market opportunities and customer needs. Together, Silicon Labs and Bluegiga offer customers a “one-stop-shop” source of standards-based wireless connectivity solutions including high-performance, long-range and ultra-low-power options.
“With Silicon Labs’ wireless, microcontroller and sensor portfolios gaining considerable traction in the IoT markets, the timing of this acquisition couldn’t be better,” says Tyson Tuttle, CEO of Silicon Labs. “Bluegiga’s wireless modules and software stacks round out our wireless portfolio and complement our IoT solutions. The addition of Bluegiga wireless modules gives us new ways to deliver simplicity to our customers, enabling developers to easily add wireless connectivity to their designs.”
Following the acquisition, Silicon Labs will continue to operate in Espoo, Finland, as a center of excellence for wireless hardware and software technology development. The company will continue to develop, market and support a complete portfolio of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi module products and software stacks for customers worldwide.
“The Bluegiga team is excited to join forces with Silicon Labs,” said Riku Mettälä, vice president of product creation at Bluegiga. “We truly share a common vision of enabling versatile, cost-effective and streamlined wireless connectivity solutions for a wide range of applications, from the connected home to industrial IoT to consumer and health and fitness devices. Together, our wireless development teams will drive innovation in the IoT market, and our unified solutions will give customers a rich choice of wireless platforms for connected devices.”
www.bluegiga.com | www.silabs.com
