Qualcomm’s Ventana acquisition points to a long-term RISC-V strategy to complement its Arm lineup

Qualcomm has acquired Ventana Micro Systems, a RISC-V CPU specialist, to complement its Arm lineup and expand its compute ambitions beyond smartphones. The acquisition provides Qualcomm with a mature RISC-V design team and expertise in scalable, out-of-order RISC-V cores, enhancing its long-term architectural flexibility. While Qualcomm remains committed to Arm-based cores in its smartphone and PC businesses, the addition of RISC-V capabilities allows the company to diversify its architectural exposure without a clean break. The move also positions Qualcomm to compete in industrial, automotive, and AI markets where RISC-V is gaining traction, offering greater control over silicon roadmaps and reducing dependence on external roadmaps.