Infineon acquires ultra-broadband pioneer 3db Access to further strengthen its connectivity portfolio

[ October 17 , 2023 , Munich , Germany and Zurich, Switzerland ] Infineon Technologies AG recently announced the acquisition of Zurich-based start-up 3db Access AG (3db) . As a pioneer in secure, low-power ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, the company is now the IP supplier of choice for major automotive brands. The acquisition further strengthens Infineon’s semiconductor portfolio in secure intelligent access, precise positioning and enhanced sensing. Infineon adds UWB to its existing connectivity portfolio, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC solutions. The first IoT use cases include secure access and authentication, precise location tracking and indoor navigation, and presence detection using UWB radar. Infineon will acquire 100% of the shares of 3db. The parties agreed not to disclose the transaction value.

Thomas Rosteck, President of the Secure Connected Systems Division at Infineon Technologies, said: “3db’s expertise in ultra-wideband technology will accelerate Infineon’s roadmap in the Internet of Things to fully exploit the market opportunities for secure connected devices. The combination of the two parties forms The combined efforts will accelerate the promotion of UWB technology to meet the needs of more automotive, industrial and consumer IoT applications. "ABI Research predicts that the UWB semiconductor chipset market will grow at an annual rate of 13% and will reach approximately 13% by 2028. $3.1 ^billion1 . “We can now create complete system solutions that combine unique features such as low power consumption, enhanced physical layer security, feature-rich radio frequency (RF) front-end configurations and position-optimized hardware architecture.”

Boris Danev, co-founder and CEO of 3db Access AG, said: "As smartphone manufacturers adopt UWB capabilities in their latest and future generations of products, the demand for UWB-enabled devices will grow significantly in the future. We Our mission is to enable smartphones and cars to benefit from this technology and enable its independent integration in low-power IoT devices. As part of the Infineon family, we will work to enrich secure positioning and sensing capabilities. , to serve major IoT and automotive applications. We are now evolving from an IP provider to a team of experts selling solutions from our own fabs.”

In the dynamic UWB market, with demand growing rapidly from numerous manufacturers, vendors are achieving differentiation through their research activities. Infineon and 3db combine their respective expertise to bring additional benefits to customers. 3db was originally a spin-off of ETH Zurich, with which it maintains a strategic partnership. In addition to strengthening cooperation with relevant standardization bodies in safety positioning and sensing, Infineon is also preparing to further develop this relationship. In addition, Infineon's broad market access is supported by extensive research and development activities. Infineon currently has 59 R&D bases around the world and holds more than 31,000 patents. The company invests 13% of its revenue in R&D every year.