GigOptix Acquires ChipX

Optoelectronics maker GigOptix Inc. has announced that it acquired fabless integrated circuits supplier ChipX on Nov. 9, a move expected to double its revenue and significantly expand its product portfolio.

ChipX is a mixed-signal, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) company. Its products are used in industrial applications, medical equipment and military/aerospace systems. A privately held company, it is based in Santa Clara, Calif., with a research-and-development subsidiary in Israel.

GigOptix said ChipX’s high-volume silicon design expertise will complement its specialist semiconductor technologies, including III-V and silicon germanium, and its expertise in electro-optic polymer technology, enabling the combined company to produce highly integrated analog and mixed-signal system-on-chip products such as clock data recovery and serializer/deserializers.

Because both companies are based in Silicon Valley and ChipX’s lease is ending, the companies will consolidate into GigOptix’s current location in Palo Alto.

The combined company will have a work force of approximately 95 – down from 115 premerger – with 40 percent concentrated in research and development. Dr. Avi Katz will continue as CEO and board chairman, and the current GigOptix management team will lead the combined company. The new ChipX (CX) product line will be managed jointly by former ChipX executives Ophir Nadir, now vice president of engineering of the CX line, and by Elie Massabki, now vice president of sales and marketing.

GigOptix said the acquisition allows it to gain more than 60 customers in markets such as defense and aerospace, industrial, communications, medical, and test and measurement; 100 custom mixed-signal ASIC products, as well as five products currently in development; intellectual property to develop new optical products that would otherwise take several years and millions of dollars to achieve; an increased presence in the defense and instrumentation market; and established relationships with semiconductor foundries and subcontractors.

“This acquisition fits into our continuous roll-up and consolidation growth strategy and will support continuous improvement of all our financial and business metrics,” Katz said.

For more information, visit: www.gigoptix.com