Sep 10, 2020 07:00:00

How did the US MIPS microprocessor license go into China after a complex transaction?

A company that has designed and developed

MIPS , a microprocessor architecture, has been reportedly acquired by a Chinese company in a complex process.

Tech war chronicles: How a Silicon Valley chip pioneer landed in China-Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-tech-insight/tech-war-chronicles-how-a-silicon-valley-chip-pioneer-landed-in-china-idUSKBN25L15U

MIPS Computer Systems is a chip architecture developer founded in 1984 by Professor John Hennessy of Stanford University, chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet.

Reuters reported on August 25, 2020, 'During the second half of 2018 to 2019 when the US-China high-tech trade war was intensifying, MIPS core technology was complicated by companies in the Cayman Islands and Samoa. , And was licensed to CIP United , a Shanghai-based company.”

The following is a chart summarized by Reuters Communications about how MIPS licenses spread to Chinese companies.

Established in 1984 by Professor Hennessey, MIPS Computer Systems cost $333 million to California-based

Silicon Graphics in 1992 to compete with large capital-dominated companies. I sold it and renamed it MIPS Technologies .

After that, MIPS Technologies was acquired by semiconductor manufacturer

Imagination Technologies , American investment company Tallwood Venture Capital, etc. after separation of business, and then acquired by American venture company Wave Computing in 2018.

MIPS Technologies split into Imagination Technologies and Tallwood Venture Capital because when Imagination Technologies was acquired by the Chinese government-affiliated fund Canyon Bridge, it separated MIPS Technologies' core business and sold it to Tallwood Venture Capital. It is said that the background to this separation was the precedent that President Trump issued a presidential decree to prevent China from acquiring a semiconductor manufacturer.

Read the article below to understand how Imagination Technologies was acquired.

The sale of GPU manufacturer Imagination Technologies cut down by Apple is confirmed-GIGAZINE

by iphonedigital

Wave Computing, which acquired MIPS, entered into a MIPS license agreement with Prestige Century Investments, a Hong Kong-based investment firm in Samoa towards the end of 2018, through its offshore business unit registered in the Cayman Islands. In May 2019, Prestige Century Investments transferred its MIPS-related license to its wholly owned subsidiary CIP United in China, which is the whole story of MIPS's handing over to Chinese companies. In April 2020, Wave Computing announced that it started bankruptcy proceedings under Chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code .

CIP United's investor information, obtained by Reuters, states: 'MIPS-related licenses will bring 'core technologies' that will help China achieve the ambitious goals of Made in China 2025.' Is promised.'

CIP United declined to comment when interviewed by Reuters. Meanwhile, Wave Computing, who spoke to a public relations company, said, 'I'm confident that the new management will comply with and comply with the export, import and foreign investment rules of the MIPS licensing agreement.' I answered.