- BeSpoon specialises in Ultra Wide Band (UWB) communications technology
- Riot Micro, based in Vancouver, Canada, designs cellular IoT solutions
STMicroelectronics has announced that it has signed two M&A agreements related to the acquisitions of the entire share capital of Ultra Wide Band specialist BeSpoon and of the cellular IoT connectivity assets of Riot Micro. The company said that it will further strengthen its offer for wireless connectivity and, in particular, the roadmap for its STM32 microcontrollers and secure MCUs after closing of the two transactions, subject to customary regulatory approvals. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
Claude Dardanne, president, Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group, at STMicroelectronics said, “At ST we work to offer our customers the products and solutions they need in order to address their opportunities and challenges. Cellular IoT and UWB technologies are key wireless connectivity solutions that will enable a next wave of IoT connected objects and innovative applications. These acquisitions complement ST’s existing wireless microcontroller offer which includes Bluetooth 5.0 and IEEE 802.15.4 communication protocols as well as the world’s first LoRa®-enabled System-on-Chip. Wireless microcontrollers are part of our STM32 product offer of over 1000 different devices and with over six billion parts shipped to customers. With these acquisitions, we will address all wireless IoT communication protocols.”
Ultra Wide Band (UWB) communications technology
BeSpoon, based in Le Bourget du Lac, France, is a fabless semiconductor company founded in 2010. It specailises in Ultra Wide Band (UWB) communications technology. Their technology enables secure real-time indoor location with centimeter accuracy in environments under adverse conditions.
It said that the integration of this key secure positioning technology in the STM32 product portfolio will enable developers of IoT, automotive, and mobile communication applications to provide services like secure access, and precise indoor & outdoor mapping. ST will acquire BeSpoon from its majority shareholder, TRUMPF, and from its founders. ST and TRUMPF will enter into a strategic partnership for UWB tracking technology.
Cellular IoT solutions
Riot Micro, based in Vancouver, Canada, designs cellular IoT solutions by applying proven design techniques from Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Wi-Fi to LTE Cat-M and NB-IoT to optimize system cost and power. It said that the integration of cellular communication capabilities into the STM32 portfolio will strengthen ST’s offer for customers developing applications like asset tracking, metering, and fleet management services.
