NXP Semiconductors has agreed to acquire Kinara, a US-based startup that develops neural processors (NPUs) for edge AI, in an all-cash deal valued at $307m.
Kinara’s high-performance NPUs cater to a variety of edge AI applications, including generative AI models.
This acquisition is expected to enable NXP to offer scalable AI platforms, from TinyML to generative AI, by integrating Kinara’s NPUs and robust AI software into its portfolio of processors, connectivity, security, and advanced analog solutions.
NXP and Kinara have an existing partnership, with Kinara’s NPUs already complementing NXP’s industrial and Internet of Things (IoT) processors.
This acquisition is expected to enable deeper integration of AI solutions, providing scalable platforms for industrial and automotive AI inference applications.
Kinara’s NPUs, such as the Ara-1 and Ara-2, feature a unique architecture that efficiently executes inference graphs, ensuring adaptability with evolving AI algorithms.
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The integration of Kinara’s NPUs with NXP’s processors will provide comprehensive AI solutions for industrial and automotive inference needs, NXP stated.
The Ara-1 and Ara-2 NPUs, capable of up to 40 TOPS, are designed for advanced AI inferencing and system-level high performance, respectively.
Kinara also offers a complete software development kit to optimise AI model performance and facilitate deployment.
The company’s AI software suite, which includes model libraries and optimisation tools, will be integrated into NXP’s eIQ AI/ML software development environment. This is expected to help customers to rapidly develop end-to-end AI systems.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
NXP Secure Connected Edge executive vice-president and general manager Rafael Sotomayor said: “The industrial market is going through a transformation, with new innovations like generative AI helping to deliver major improvements in efficiency, sustainability, safety and predictability, and in many instances, unlock new use cases and functionality.
“Adding Kinara’s AI capabilities to our broad intelligent edge portfolio creates a scalable platform for new classes of AI-powered systems. Together, we can help our customers simplify complexity and accelerate time to market as they create transformative AI systems.”
In 2024, it was reported that NXP was planning to invest more than $1bn to expand its research and development activities in India.
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