Global SOC IoT Innovation Trends

TechnologyTrendS
in SoC IoT Ecosystem

CONTENTS
1
INTRODUCTION
IoT Ecosystem 6
Opportunity for Semiconductor Industry with Advancement in IoT 8
Role of Semiconductor Industry 9
Silicon Implementation for IoT Devices 10
11
2Challengesin
ImplementationofSoC-IoT
3
SoC-IoTDesignRequirements
Analog Integration and IP-Reuse 14
ASIC Capability 14
Complex Clock 14
Verification 15
4
TrendsinSoC-IoTSpace
Wireless Interoperability 17
Analog IP Integration and Reuse 18
Power Requirements 18
Memories and Sensors 21

5
CompetitiveAnalysis
Power Management Solution Providers 24
Memory-Related Solution Providers 38
Design Tools 47
RISC-V Architecture 50
Other Startups 56
Other Entities 63
CONTENTS
6
AcquisitionTrendAnalysis
Acquisition Timeline and Deal Count 66
Deal Characteristics and its Strategic Drivers 67
Technology Drivers of the Deals 69
Details of the M&A Transactions 71
7
KeyOpportunities
intheSoC-IoTEcosystem
Key Takeaways 79
Recommendations 80
8References 82

5
Digitization and intelligent automation technologies are steadily shaping the world’s future. Digitization
refers to creating a digital format of an analog or physical thing, whereas intelligent automation mainly
focuses on automating and optimizing processes. These are revolutionizing a number of industries and
sectors, and are bound to effect major changes at both the enterprise and consumer levels. The efforts
to push digitization and automation globally are evident through the emergence of different platforms,
initiatives, and new solutions. One such promising trend is the adoption of internet of things (IoT), which
will form the basis of almost everything in the future.
IoT has been a buzz word for as long as one can remember. Although the adoption of IoT in the real
world has been slow, this trend is ubiquitous and is likely to grow, along with a significant reduction in
the prices of related products and services. Unlike other similar trends, which were short-lived, IoT is a
mega trend that is gaining momentum at its own pace, albeit with a promise of effecting lasting effects
on the society at large.
This research analysis examines the impact of the semiconductor industry in the IoT segment, with
special focus on the recent trends in system-on-chip (SoC) architecture in the IoT environment.

IoTEcosystem
IoT is essentially a network of intelligent
systems that are defining the next level of
internet use. An IoT system consists of sensors,
actuators, and smart objects and is built on the
concept of “connected things”. It aims to make
virtually every object smart, programmable, and
interactive. The applications of IoT include
smart buildings, smart grids, smart healthcare,
smart homes, and smart agriculture practices.
Here, the term “smart” implies a digital
technology embedded in an object to make it
intelligent and adaptive enough to optimize
real-world situations.
The interaction of objects, assets, and
processes enables the recording of data and
actions to understand behavior and operation,
and to optimize a situation using preventive
steps. This can be used for various applications,
including traffic management, environmental
monitoring, farming, automation processes, and
wearable technologies, to achieve reliability,
robustness, and efficiency.
While an IoT application may appear as a simple
idea, actual implementation is complex due to
the diverse possibilities associated with it. The
ecosystem comprises IoT-enabled devices, IoT
gateways, and IoT clouds. Any significant
increase in the number of nodes in an IoT
network requires the development of a gateway
to route data from these nodes to the cloud;
perform autonomous operations; and provide
interoperability, security, edge intelligence, and
protocol abstraction. The IoT cloud has
significance in database management, as it is a
high-performance network that connects
servers to optimize the processing of data
generated by many devices at once.
6
SoC IoT Ecosystem
Global
Regional
End-Points
Cloud SoCs
Gateway SoCs
Edge SoCs

There is great focus on the networking or
connectivity level for IoT. As IoT will span a wide
range of applications, a single connectivity
standard may not cover all use cases.
Connectivity standardization is also significant
for interoperability, should there be devices from
different OEMs. Existing short-range
connectivity solutions are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,
Zigbee, NFC, etc., while long-range solutions
include cellular solutions and LPWAN. Even
wired solutions could prove effective in
applications such as in-home distribution of
IPTV and smart grids, as data is transferred
through existing electrical wires.
To tap the advantages and opportunities linked
to an IoT system, it is imperative to capitalize on
emerging trends such as machine learning (ML),
artificial intelligence (AI), and natural language
processing (NLP). The combination of IoT and
one of these technologies will make the IoT
devices intelligent. By leveraging AI’s analytical
capabilities, IoT-equipped devices will be able to
understand complicated scenarios and take
decisions or provide suggestions for
optimization, thereby facilitating operations
based on predictive analytics, cognitive systems,
big data, or next-generation automation, without
any human intervention.
For instance, AI could help doctors analyze a
patient’s body and get real-time insights into
their condition. Smart assistants would be able
to learn the pattern of a user and place an order
with the nearby grocery store when the user’s
refrigerator runs out of eggs or milk. This is
being made possible by intelligent IoT sensors,
which are able to draw conclusions from the
vast volumes of data gathered by connected
devices. Thus, integrating an IoT network with AI
7
is a necessity for building digital IoT
ecosystems.
Another upcoming trend within the IoT
ecosystem is the assessment of the advantages
of performing computation and analytics on IoT
devices. This approach is known as “edge
computing” and helps lower latency for critical
applications, reduce cloud dependency, and
manage the massive amount of data being
generated by billions of connected IoT devices.
Processing at the edge makes IoT applications
more responsive while ensuring security and
privacy by storing sensitive data in the device
itself.
Currently, there are multiple challenges
associated with IoT solutions, including lack of
support for a wide range of protocols, security,
standards, IoT-enabled hardware, and need for
faster and accurate software for data analysis.
To overcome these challenges, extensive
research is being conducted across different
verticals and industries to speed up innovation
and provide new IoT services and solutions.
A wave of machine
learning-optimized chips is
beginning to take shape with
more work shifted towards
SoCs and FPGAs.
Intelligent edge devices are
the backbone of the future
IoT society

Silicon Implementation for IoT Devices
Semiconductor chip manufacturers and OEMs play a key role at the hardware level of the ecosystem,
using silicon implementations as the basis.
The IoT ecosystem comprises physical devices connected by means of sensors, connectivity, and other
embedded electronics and software. Previously, the demand for making multi-functional electronics
meant adding discrete, off-the-shelf components to the board for quick time-to-market needs. However,
these implementations meant high-power consumption, increased cost, and limited functional aid.
Various design alternatives have been developed through the years for enhancing chip operation while
reducing the time to market. Some prominent silicon implementations are discussed in the sections
below.
System-in-Package(SiP)
It is an easy hetero-integration of analog and RF
functionaliti............................table. However, achieving
complex system partitioning at the design stage is key
to ob..................... value from a SiP.
Application-SpecificStandard Parts
(ASSP)
Application-specific standard parts (ASSP) is a custom
chip made for a gener.........................uses targeting a similar
application. It cannot be customized for a system or
customer to meet their specific demands.
Application-Specific Integrated
Circuit(ASIC)
Selection ofSuitable Silicon Implementation for Edge IoT Devices
Any chip that is custom-made is an ASIC, irrespective of its
nature, i.e., analo...................................tions and can offer high
performance, along with low power consumption.
However, t.................... and time-consuming.
The choice between SiP and SoC depends on their respective advantages and disadvantages specific to a particular end application.
SiP is apt for applications that require fully functional, simple, and specialized modules that can be easily integrated into a system,
whereas SoCs are appropriate for applications characterized by low power, low costs, and minimum performance. Sometimes, SiP and
SoC are complementary in nature and add to the overall value of a particular system. Furthermore, ASSPs and ASICs can be used for
applications that do not require integrated processing power. However, IoT edge devices demand abundant processing power, coupled
with low-power operation. Therefore, considering the advantages of SoCs over other silicon implementations, the former emerges as
the most suitable solution for intelligent edge computing in IoT applications.
System-on-Chip(SoC)
SoC is nothing but an ASIC with one or more processor cores.
It integrates the functionalities of sensors and computing
resources with.........................................agement, connectivity,
and sensors (as per application demands) closer together in
a single unit. However, SoCs require an experienced team of
designers and engineers to get it right.
applications that do not require integrated processing power. However, IoT edge devices demand abundant processing power, coupled
with low-power operation. Therefore, considering the advantages of SoCs over other silicon implementations, the former emerges as
the most suitable solution for intelligent edge computing in IoT applications.
Figure 2: SoC - Integrated Approach of Application Device & Design
11
Healthcare Smart Home Agriculture Smart Grid
Transportation Automotive
Wearable
On-Chip Design
Sensors Robots
Security
Camera
Digital
Devices
Industrial IOT Smart Retail

2Challengesin
ImplementationofSoC-IoT

14
Key Requirements in SoC-IoT Implementation
Analog Integration and IP-Reuse
Analog technology will play a vital role in the IoT ecosystem. The diversity of IoT applications has given
rise to a need to process continuously variable physical quantities. Fitness trackers and clocks are
some examples of analog devices. Given the need to process analog inputs in an IoT environment,
market focus has shifted to the integration of analog/mixed signal (AMS) content with SoCs. Analog IP
integration is a prominent trend in the IoT space — one that also reduces the time to market. However,
analog IP integration is not an easy task and may cause design issues because of various process
technologies at foundries and differences in parameters such as voltage scaling and performance.
IP-reuse is another concept required to reduce time to market and increase productivity. The entire
design is partitioned into smaller IP blocks with well-defined functionalities that can be reused across
multiple designs. The cost incurred to build a design from scratch is extremely high compared with
licensing cost and royalty for external IP. Therefore, IP-reuse is a concept needed to meet the
complex SoC design requirements. Few examples of IP blocks include on-chip memory, DRAM
controllers, security, processors, etc.
ASIC Capability
More than ever, now is the time to engage experienced design teams that have successfully completed
hundreds of custom IC designs for application-specific needs. Such teams can handle implementation
activities (architectural trade-offs, system partitioning, hardware/software trade-offs, IC and board
designs, etc.) better than a team that designs other silicon implementations and general-purpose ICs.
Therefore, SoCs require an experienced team of designers and engineers.
ComplexClock
A typical SoC design can include a number of clock sources, maybe in hundreds, to suit different IoT
applications. It is important to remove all uncertainties and mismatches in process variations due to
these clock sources. Techniques like clock gating can be leveraged from IP blocks to provide low-power
architectures. Clock gating architecture is widely used to choose inactive modules under a particular
condition in a design and gate that part of the design accordingly for dynamic power consumption.
Design Verification IP Integration
Multi-Protocol
Support
ASIC CapabilityMixed Signal
Processing

Innovation is the key to driving growth and meeting various challenges and specific design
requirements. The trend of developing new techniques for system integration and SoC designs will
continue in the future. The upcoming applications are driving R&D on a range of subjects, from
materials and sensing methods to low power circuits and memories.
In order to identify trends in the space, it is important to understand the timeline of challenges involved
in the implementation of SoC-IoT. In addition, analysis of the current scenario of problems and solutions
will make it easier to assess the potential impact the trends will have on real-world implementations in
the future.
Wireless Interoperability
With the edge segment being flooded with
various kinds of IoT devices, it is becoming a
challenge to select the right connectivity
solution for each product. These products often
come across as barriers in the form of
streamlined, interoperable wireless support.
One of the functional blocks of SoC-IoT pertains
to the connectivity support that the chip will
offer. Therefore, a scrutiny of the interoperability
of IoT devices is in itself an examination of
SoC-IoT.
Currently, SoC-IoT manufacturers are able to
pack support for Wi-Fi (2.4- & 5-GHz 802.11n),
Industry Adoption:
Qualcomm’s QCA4020 and QCA4024 SoCs are
multi-mode connectivity solutions integrating
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5 and 802.15.4 based
technologies. QCA4024 SoC has been
implemented in Qubercomm's USB IoT Dongle.
[2]
Bluetooth, and 802.15.4-based technologies
(Zigbee 3.0 and OpenThread) within a single
chip. However, once 5G infrastructure is online,
next-generation chipsets are likely to hit the
market. These chipsets may bring in new
standards, with wireless interoperability as the
key aspect of motivation.
The future of wireless connectivity is not bound
to one technology; instead, it will only be
accomplished through a combination of
solutions, networks, standards, and protocols
that will work together in a unified environment.
i
Qubercomm's USB IoT Dongle
17

AnalogIPIntegrationandReuse
In contrast to the current implementations, the
future of IP integration/reuse promises modular
architectures specific to IoT devices and the
application areas of concern. This means
manufacturers can easily choose from a pool of
IP available for the type of IoT device they are
trying to build, with no additional adjustments,
thus resulting in reduced time to market. These
IP blocks will also offer the capability to work on
lower technology nodes, leading to transistors
that are smaller and faster, yet power-efficient.
PowerRequirements
Approach 1: Sub-Threshold Solution for IoT Power Consumption Issue
The sub-threshold/near-threshold processing technique is one of the solutions for creating
devices with long-lasting batteries. It is a technique where transistors in the design are operated
at a supply voltage that is below the transistors’ threshold voltage. The
sub-threshold/near-threshold circuits ideally reduce power consumption by a factor of
approximately 36 times vis-à-vis a conventional power management module.
The sub-threshold system is not the solution for probably every IoT device maker. Low-power
systems with 8-bit and 16-bit chips, which offer relatively limited processing capabilities, might
not utilize the sub-threshold system. However, powerful 32-bit systems would need
sub-threshold systems.
ii
iii
.................is a major
driver for varied SoC
requirements with
maximum performance and
multiple use cases.
18
looking to develop IoT devices with batteries
that could last a decade or even devices that
would not require batteries for their
functioning. Different
conce........................................to answer the low
power need of the growing IoT market.

Industry Adoption:
Huawei has implemented Ambiq Micro’s
sub-threshold power technology platform in its
product line Huawei Band Pro 2, which is a
fitness wearable device. [3]
Huawei Band Pro 2
Industry Adoption:
Sony’s Xperia™ Ear Duo based on CXD5602 chip
is driven by SPRESENSE™ that is built on FD-SOI
technology. [6] [7]
Sony’s Xperia™ Ear Duo
Approach2:Solution with Power,Performance and Cost Tradeoff
The buried layer oxide based structure of FD-SOI leads to low parasitic capacitance, reduced
leakage routes and ultimately significant reduction in power consumption. It is an ultra-low
voltage capability technology, owing to the fully depleted operation of the transistors.
In spite of the degradation caused in FD-SOI structure due to self-heating, the solution has
significant competitive benefits over FinFET: [4] [5]
•
• It is ....... than 3D FinFET technology
• It enables body biasing, which compensates for ....... process variations, dynamic
• .................phases and allows to mitigate or offset process variations.
Airbus and Audi are also pursuing FD-SOI for futuristic systems such as autonomous driving,
connected systems, robots, etc., considering the reliability offered by the technology. [8]
19
xxxx........

20
Approach3: Solutions for Maximizing Leakage Reduction during Sleep Mode
Industry Adoption:
.................. has integrated Nap mode to its
memory IP portfolio (SpRAM RHEA-LL) such
that the memory provides x times less leakage
compared to standby mode. [13]
Approach4: RealTime Closed Loop Implementation
Industry Adoption:
STMicroelectronics’ ultra low-power
STM32L5-series MCUs is based on AVS and is a
suitable platform for industrial sensors or
controls, home-automation devices, smart
meters, fitness trackers, smart watches, medical
pumps or meters, etc. The company plans to
begin production of the MCUs in Q2 2019. [16]

24
Category1 -Power Management Solution Providers
Design verification has always been a challenging task due to its time-consuming, cost-intensive
nature. With the advent of SoC architectures, verification has become an essential undertaking that
spans the entire life cycle of a SoC design and involves the use of diverse platforms, tools, and
technologies. It is defined as a multi-step procedure that is carried out before a SoC design can be
taped out and sent for manufacturing. These multiple steps are collectively known as sign-off checks.
These multiple steps are collectively known as sign-off checks that include design rule checking (DRC),
IR drop analysis, static timing analysis (STA), etc. Each sign-off checks face several challenges owing to
a growing connected ecosystem of SoC-IoT.
Additionally, SoC-IoT applications demand mixed-signal-based architectures and reduction in the sizes
of the advanced nodes, consequently adding to the complexity by the passing day. These complexities
bring uncertainties at both the system level as well as at the SoC level. Moreover, analog and
mixed-signal IPs involve complex interaction between the analog and digital circuitries due to multiple
feedback loops associated with the mixed SoC design. These complexities need to be dealt with for
complete formal verification of a SoC-IoT design.
WHAT IS THE TECHNOLOGY?
Ambiq Micro has developed a patented sub-threshold power optimized technology (SPOT™) platform
for meeting low-power demand of wearable devices, smart cards, wireless sensors, and other IoT
applications. The SPOT™ technology allows microprocessors to fine-tune the voltage levels that a
battery releases, which results in an exponential energy reduction. [19]
In October 2018, the company announced TurboSPOT™, which is an advanced version of the earlier
platform. This platform increases energy efficiency of battery powered devices by increasing the
computational capabilities of the ARM Cortex M4F core to 96MHz and lowering the active power
consumption to <6uA/MHz.
Ambiq Micro
Ambiq Micro is a fabless semiconductor company, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Texas,
US. It is focused on developing low-power semiconductor solutions for the future of
power-efficient electronics. It is strongly pursuing the SoC-IoT market, having raised a total of
USD 103.8 million in funding from 16 investors, including ARM, Fujitsu, and Cisco, apart from
other venture capitalists. During the last two years (2017 and the first half of 2018), it has raised
approximately USD 45 million, which is being used to develop the next-generation of
microprocessors aimed toward applications, including smart homes, smart sensors, and smart
credit cards, globally. [18]

25
CURRENT OFFERINGS
Currently, Ambiq Micro is developing low-power
MCUs (Apollo Family) and real-time clocks
(RTCs) that can be used with power-stingy
sensor technologies applied in IoT designs.
Apollo MCU family provides benefits such as the
development of a seamless interface between
multiple sensors and the permission to write
unique algorithms on-device. Furthermore,
low-power RTCs act as a substitute to
MCU-based devices, where the main MCUs are
not used for powering down or conserving
power for achieving a low-power, “keep-alive”
state of a system. The current products are
capable of offering a power efficiency of
10µA/MHz, enabling wearable products to go on
for more than 21 days on a single charge. [20]
The recent product released by Ambiq Micro is
Apollo 3 Blue Wireless SoC comes with an
advanced direct memory access (DMA) engine
and TurboSPOT™. It also includes Bluetooth low
energy (BLE5), updated peripherals and
additional memory. The DMA engine in
combination with the extra computing
bandwidth gives designers the flexibility to add
more complex sensor processing algorithms
without deteriorating the quality. Apollo 3 Blue
also extends the capabilities to add AI inference
engines like voice and predictive sensory
processing to ultra-low power edge devices.
This product caters to battery and energy
harvesting powered IoT, hearable, wearable &
voice-activated edge devices. [21]
Ambiq Micro’s offerings are also finding
application in IoT devices including fitness
watches, analog watches, smart clothing, smart
credit cards, smart utility meters, wireless
industrial sensors, wireless medical devices, and
a growing list of other energy-constrained
devices.
KEY PERSONNEL
Scott Hanson, founder and CTO, is an expert in
ultra-low energy and variation-tolerant circuits,
and is responsible for the development of the
SPOT™ platform at the University of Michigan
along with the Ambiq Micro co-founders, Dennis
Sylvester and David Blaauw. He is an active
participant in various conferences and trade
shows, and widely speaks on energy-efficient
circuits. Scott Hanson has more than 30
Why is Ambiq Micro a Company
to Look out for?
Ambiq Micro is one of the early adopters of
the sub-threshold technique, which is likely
to be a de facto standard for low-power IoT
devices. The SPOT™ architecture is
designed in such a way that every digital
and analog circuit in a chip has reduced
sensitivity toward temperature, voltage,
and other manufacturing variations
involved. The circuits in the architecture
can operate on 0.5 V or even lesser voltage
supplies, resulting in an improved dynamic
power. The company claims that this can
provide a 10-fold improvement in the MCU
power consumption compared with its
competitors. This is mainly because power
consumption scales with the square of
voltage. The company is addressing the
technology and market demand for
wearable device applications where low
power consumption for battery operation is
a priority. This is a considerably new
market, and not many established players
are confident of addressing the problem
area using their legacy systems to
maintain position in the market.
publications and 7 patent filings on related
topics. The fact that he has spearheaded the
company’s core technology platform and
decided to stay involved with it by holding the
CTO position shows his vision for addressing
the emerging market.
Other executives include Sean Chen (President),
Thomas Chen (Vice President), Fumihide Esaka
(Chairman/CEO), Donovan Popps (VP of
Engineering), and Christophe Chevallier (Director
of Memory Design), each with an experience of
20–25 years in the semiconductor and
electronics industries. [22]

26
PARTNERSHIPS/CUSTOMERS
Ambiq Micro has partnered with companies,
including DSP Concepts and Sensory, for
bringing an always-on voice control to portable,
battery-operated devices. By integrating
Sensory’s keyword detection technology and
DSP Concepts’ sound detection, beamforming,
and noise reduction solution, Ambiq Micro’s
Apollo2 MCU is able to achieve accurate key
phrase-detection rates, while consuming 4 times
less power compared with existing solutions.
This integration allows a high-quality operation
of the device to go on continuously for more
than a week, after which the CR2032 battery of
the device has to be recharged. The
collaborators agree that the combination of
low-power efficiency and high-audio quality has
led to enhanced user experience and faster
adoption rate. [23]
Additionally, the company teamed up with TSMC
for manufacturing fitness wearables for Huawei.
Ambiq’s Apollo2 platform, built on TSMC’s
process node of 40 nm, employs near-threshold
technology platform to power Huawei’s line of
lightweight fitness wearables, including the
Huawei Band 2 Pro that was launched in late
2017. These wearables are able to achieve
10–21 days of usage on a single charge
depending on the time period for which the
device is operated on a GPS mode. [24]
Among the customers, Matrix PowerWatch has
developed an energy-harvesting smart watch
that needs only the user’s body heat for
powering up the device. It uses Ambiq’s
low-power Apollo MCU as the core processor.
Thus, Matrix PowerWatch combines its
thermoelectric energy-harvesting technology
with Ambiq’s energy-efficient solutions for
offering a watch that virtually requires no
charging. Other customers in the wearable
devices and fitness bands market include Spire
and Misfit. [25]
PATENTING ACTIVITIES
Ambiq Micro has 11 patent publications with underlying focus on reducing power requirements on
sub-component level in a chip design. The sub-components include clock generators, DACs,
non-volatile memory circuits such as SRAM and flash, voltage reference generators, voltage dividers,
and voltage converters.
An overview of patent publications has been provided below:
• Adaptive clock generators that operate continuously while meeting low-power requirements
• Reduction of power in a successive-approximation (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC)
• Error correction of non-volatile memory circuits in retention/standby mode
• Reduction of power requirements for flash memory using sub-threshold or near-threshold
components
• Methods for calibrating low power voltage reference generators, voltage conversion circuits with
low buffer, gate leakage-based voltage divider circuits, etc.

A number of other emerging companies are also providing solutions that are aiming for different IoT
applications.
56
Other Startups
• Focus on the automotive
sector and plans to
develop ML/AI-based
silicon architectures can
potentially drive growth of
level-5 self-driving cars.
• Ineda is using FD-SOI for
its existing family of chips.
It hopes to ramp up to
larger volumes by
adopting 22-nm FDX.
• Total funding received:
USD 43.3 million
• SoC-IoT solutions for
security, I/O virtualization,
power management,
always-on sensing,
multi-processor
communication, and
hierarchical computing
architecture
Provider of low-power SoC
technology for the
automotive and IoT markets
• It is aiming for a quantum
leap in AI products and
energy efficiency.
• Existing partnerships will
accelerate the company’s
effort toward exploring
new applications.
USD 2.1 million (investors
include Y Combinator and
Draper Associates)
• Collaborated with
GlobalFoundries and
joined the RISC-V
Foundation
Develops ultra-low-power
SoCs for embedded vision,
with focus on applications
such as AR and
autonomous robots
COMPANY OVERVIEW CORE STRENGTH GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
• The company’s expertise
in deep learning will
contribute to the growth of
edge computing by
overcoming processing
bottlenecks.
• It seeks to capture the
autonomous driving
market with
deep-learning chips for
USD 12.5 million
• Rethinking and
redesigning the pillars of
computer architecture
(including memory,
control, and compute), as
well as the relations
between them, in order to
go transcend the
Deep-learning
microprocessors for IoT
segments, ranging from
data centres to edge devices
• There are growth
opportunities for the
company in terms of
independent edge
computing platforms that
enable AI locally on edge
devices without cloud
computing support.
• It seeks to scale up in
potential applications,
including robots, cars,
drones, smart homes,
smart phones, and
AI-enabled health
wearables.
USD 15 million (backed by
investors including
iBionext, 360 Capital
Partners, and 3T Finance)
• Utilizes biology-inspired
spiking neural networks
to overcome the
limitations of traditional
Von Neumann machines
and application
processors
Ultra-low-power
neuromorphic computing
silicon technologies for
bringing AI to IoT edge
devices

Apart from the startups mid-stage companies are also potential targets for the SoC IoT market.
Other Entities
COMPANY OVERVIEW CORE STRENGTH
China based provider of system-level
digital-analog hybrid SoCs and analog ICs for
various markets: connected automotive
applications, smart hardware, smart home
devices, service robots, drones, virtual reality,
tablets, internet TV, automotive in-dash
devices, smart power management, and mobile
connected devices
Allwinner Technology provides a platform
solution with a SoC, Wi-Fi, analog-to-digital
converters (ADC), PMIC, and algorithms.
Processors provide the intelligence behind IoT
systems and are often integrated into SoC
designs. In January 2018, the company
launched a SoC development kit for Amazon’s
Alexa Voice Service. In addition to Amazon,
Allwinner has a large customer base that
includes entities such as Baidu, Haier, NEC,
and Tencent. Some of the company’s
technology partners are Google, Microsoft,
Imagination, ARM, Qualcomm, TSMC, Bluetooth
SIG, and Dolby.
Founded: 2007
Headquarters: Zhuhai,
China
Provides RISC-V processor IP with high-level
tools that enable the modification of RISC-V
cores as well as verification services and
solutions for SoC and IP companies
Codasip’s silicon-proven studio tool suite
enables IoT developers to easily produce
RISC-V processors that can be optimized and
configured for specific software applications for
IoT edge devices. The company is addressing
the need for affordable 64-bit embedded
processors by providing (Berkelium) BK5-64,
which is an RISC-V processor. Codasip’s clients
include Mobileye, Sigma designs, Microsemi,
Ubilite, Analogix, Rambus, Trinamic, and
Dongwoon.
Founded: 2006
Headquarters: Brno,
Czech Republic
Manufactures and markets EDA software that
identifies the source and root cause of crosstalk
and lowers the risk of electromagnetic
crosstalk in SoC designs for markets such as
automotive, IoT, large-scale computing, and
high-speed networking
Helic is also an IP provider for high-speed
systems. It is focused on resolving the issues
related to the migration of a SoC design to
FinFET. The company is also aiming to address
the market requirement of 10 nm and 7 nm.
Currently, the company provides SoC designs in
16 nm. Helic has partnered with
GlobalFoundries for delivering the modelling
platform for FD-SOI in 22 nm. Its other
partners include Samsung, Synopsys, and
Nautech.
Founded: 2000
Headquarters: Santa Clara,
California
Developer of SoCs with dual-mode connectivity
(Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) for products such as
tablets, OTT boxes, cameras, and IoT gadgets
The ESP8266 and ESP32 series of chips have
accelerated the development of appliances that
require secure, robust, and power-efficient
Wi-Fi connectivity. The products reduce energy
consumption and material waste. The company
has also completed its 100-million target for
IoT chip shipments. The company supports
major IoT players such as Baidu DuerOS,
Huawei HiLink, Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS,
Xiaomi, Alibaba, and Joylink.
Founded: 2008
Headquarters: Shanghai,
China
63

66
AcquisitionTimelineand DealCount
An assessment of the acquisition trends in the last five years (2014–2018) provides insights into the
inorganic growth routes adopted by established companies for differentiating their products or coping
with competition. The graph shows the number of deals signed in the last five years, including the
high-value deals of each year.
Portfolio Expansion Using Low-Energy Bluetooth
Over 2014–2018, the highest number of acquisitions in the SoC-IoT ecosystem were recorded in the
year 2016. One of the notable deals of the year is Microchip’s acquisition of Atmel for about USD 3.56
billion. With this deal, Microchip aimed to combine Bluetooth and wireless connectivity solutions with
low-power MCUs to introduce new low-energy Bluetooth products.
Growing Interest in Always-on Communication
To acquire new capabilities, Skyworks acquired analog SoC developer Avnera for USD 405 million in
August 2018. The transaction augments Skywork’s connectivity solutions by adding ultra-low-power
analog circuits. Both companies aim to develop customized designs for always-on communication for
target applications such as AI microphones, virtual assistants, and intelligent gaming controllers.
Big-Ticket Deal in 2019
The impending acquisition of Integrated Device Technology (IDT) for USD 6.7 billion would help
Renesas Electronics Corporation rapidly expand its presence in the industrial and automotive segment
with the help of IDT’s analog mixed-signal products.
Intel Keeps Pace with Qualcomm
In 2013, Qualcomm acquired Arteris’s network-on-chip (NoC) technology specific to IoT. To keep up with
competition, Intel made a similar acquisition in September 2018 to boost its SoC segment. Intel
acquired NetSpeed, which has expertise in the NoC technology, to address the design time and cost
challenges of the SoC market.
Interoperability for Heterogeneous IoT Platform
The 2016 acquisition of Broadcom’s wireless IoT business has enabled Cypress to offer multi-protocol
(Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee) capabilities for varied IoT platforms.
Number of deals per year during 2014–2018
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
No.ofDeals
M&A Trend for SoC-IoT Ecosystem
$ 3.6 B
$ 550 mn
$650 mn
$ 2.4 B
$405 mn
$6.7 B
$ 2 4 B

Complementary Capabilities
Addition to Existing
Technical Solutions
New Target Market
Expanding Customer Base
Patent
Product Expansion
Geographical Expansion
DealCharacteristicsand itsStrategic Drivers

Connectivity
A
Others (Security,
SoC Infrastructure, etc.)C
FPGA/Memory
Technologies
B
Expertise in
mixed-signal solutions
Technology Drivers of the Deals

Table 1 provides an overview of the recent prominent deals in the SoC-IoT domain. Companies and their acquisitions will give an idea of the technologies of interest
in the current market. The transactions have been segregated into categories according to the eventual goal of the acquirer both in terms of technology platform and
the expected value addition.
Details of the M&ATransactions
Renesas
Electronics
Corporation
Integrated Device
Technology (IDT)
Will be
closed in
the first half
of 2019
IDT’s analog mixed-signal capabilities
combined with Renesas’ MCUs, SoCs, and
power management ICs will accelerate
growth in the automotive, industrial, IoT, and
data economy-related segments
• Expertise in
mixed-signal
solutions
• Complementary capabilities
• New target markets
• Product expansion
• • New target markets
• Addition to existing
technical solutions
• Patent
~ 6700
Soitec, MBDA
(60:40
venture)
Dolphin
Integration
September
2018
Soitec will help Dolphin strengthen its
position in the semiconductor IP
marketplace by extensively using FD-SOI and
body biasing technology for low-power
solutions
MBDA will aid in expanding in aerospace and
defense
6.85
• Connectivity
(long range)
GigSky Simless September
2018
NA
BUYER TARGET
DATE OF
DEAL
DESCRIPTION TECHNOLOGY CATEGORYDEALSIZE
(USD million)
Skyworks Avnera August 2018 Avnera’s analog SoCs targeted for consumer
audio, voice, speech, sensor, and AI
applications complement Skyworks’ existing
portfolio of low-power SoCs by enabling
smart interfaces
• • Complementary skills
• Design
(simulation)
405
Siemens Austemper
Design
Systems
June 2018 NA

7KeyOpportunities
intheSoC-IoTEcosystem

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Authors
Faizal Shaikh
Onam has research expertise in topics related to IoT, 5G, connectivity
solutions, autonomous systems, RF devices, semiconductor fabrication,
telecommunication equipment, ICs and Chipsets, etc. She works on
custom research projects and provides technology consulting and
advisory to clients on a range of aspects including creation of strategic
partnerships, development and adoption of innovative or disruptive
technologies, R&D and product roadmap creation, etc. by leveraging
robust research approaches and methodologies that combine
competitive intelligence, patent landscape, M&A, trend analysis and
other important parameters. The combination of her education, expertise
and professional experiences makes her one of Netscribes lead analysts
in the electronics, telecom and semiconductors domains.
Onam holds a Master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago
with specialization in telecommunications. At the University of Illinois her
course of study covered subjects including wireless communications, RF
systems, semiconductors, networking, digital communication, etc. She
was also a member of Society of Women Engineers and attended many
conferences and sessions related to initiatives by women technologists
and awareness of technology across diversity.
Faizal has been associated with Netscribes’ Innovation Research team
since the last 3 years. He has worked on emerging technology domains
including IoT connectivity solutions and management, sensing/antenna
technologies for autonomous vehicles and connected cars, 5G technology
trends, hardware security solutions, RF front-end for portable devices,
advanced semiconductor chipsets, futuristic display technologies, etc.
His areas of interest include semiconductor fabrication and processing,
networking and 5G related studies, telecommunications, display
technologies, user interfaces, sensors and robotics among others. He
has been actively involved in technology assessment/consulting,
competitor analysis and benchmarking, and technology roadmap studies
that require complete understanding of the ecosystem.
Faizal graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with
specialization in Electronics and Telecommunications from Mumbai
University.
Onam Prasad

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