Qualcomm to Acquire Arduino

Qualcomm announced it will acquire open-source hardware and software firm Arduino, with terms undisclosed and the deal subject to regulatory approval and closing conditions. Arduino will operate as an independent subsidiary and retain its brand, tools and mission. Qualcomm said the acquisition will expand its footprint beyond mobile into automation, robotics, IoT, edge computing and AI and help diversify revenue as the smartphone market slows. Arduino brings a community of more than 33 million developers and widespread use in education and rapid prototyping, which Qualcomm says will create clearer paths to commercialization. The companies unveiled the Arduino UNO Q, a “dual‑brain” single‑board computer pairing a Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 with an STM32 MCU, supporting Linux and low‑power AI workloads, with reported pricing of about $44–$59 and design files/software to be released under open licenses. Qualcomm and Arduino said they will continue to support chips from other vendors and will offer developer tools such as AppLab and a CLI to bridge prototyping and more complex AI systems.