Ddos 
To further consolidate its technological leadership in the computing domain, Qualcomm has announced its acquisition of Ventana Micro Systems, aiming to strengthen its CPU engineering capabilities by integrating Ventana’s expertise in developing RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA). The move also signals Qualcomm’s continued commitment to advancing the RISC-V standard and its broader ecosystem.
Qualcomm noted that the addition of the Ventana Micro Systems team will complement its ongoing RISC-V and custom Oryon CPU development efforts. This indicates that Qualcomm is not only refining its existing architectures, but also seeking to incorporate Ventana’s deep experience in high-performance RISC-V design into its strategic roadmap for next-generation, AI-driven products.
Durga Malladi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Technology Planning, Edge Solutions, and Data Center at Qualcomm, stated: “At Qualcomm, we are dedicated to shaping the future of intelligent computing. We believe the RISC-V instruction set architecture has the potential to propel CPU technology forward and spark innovation across a wide spectrum of products.” He emphasized that acquiring Ventana Micro Systems represents a critical step toward delivering industry-leading RISC-V CPU technology.
Ventana Micro Systems CEO Balaji Baktha added: “We are delighted to join the Qualcomm team and contribute our RISC-V expertise to the development of Qualcomm’s Oryon CPU technology.” He described the acquisition as the beginning of an exciting new chapter, one that will enable the companies to jointly push the boundaries of next-generation products in both energy efficiency and high-performance computing.
The deal underscores Qualcomm’s ambitions in CPU self-development—beyond its established Arm-based portfolio—by using strategic acquisitions to deepen its influence and technical foundation within the open RISC-V ecosystem.
This development is especially notable in light of Qualcomm’s recent legal dispute with Arm over ISA licensing. Although Qualcomm ultimately prevailed in court and proceeded to use the Armv9 instruction set in subsequent processor designs, the episode highlighted the company’s desire to avoid future architectural constraints. By investing aggressively in RISC-V design capabilities, Qualcomm seeks to secure greater freedom and broader opportunities in its CPU roadmap.
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