DLA Piper advises Qualcomm Group on acquisition of open-source hardware and software business, Arduino

DLA Piper has advised Qualcomm Technologies on the acquisition of Arduino, a leading Italian open-source hardware and software company renowned for its developer-friendly platforms and global community of over 33 million users. This strategic transaction strengthens Qualcomm’s leadership in the embedded and internet of things (IoT) spaces, enabling Qualcomm to bring its advanced AI, connectivity, and edge computing technologies to a broader developer ecosystem.

The acquisition includes the integration of Arduino’s product line, starting with the launch of Arduino Uno Q, a Qualcomm-powered single-board computer with AI and Linux capabilities. Arduino will continue to operate under its own brand, preserving its identity and commitment to open-source innovation.

Our multidisciplinary and cross-border team from the firm’s offices in the US and Italy was led by Corporate partners Larry Nishnick and Christian Iannaccone. The team also included partners Giulio Coraggio, Roberto Valenti, Ginevra Righini, Fabrizio Morelli, Olaf Schmidt, and Alessandro Martinelli. They were supported by legal directors Federico Roviglio, Giulia Zappaterra, Pasquale Siciliani and Francesca De Novellis, senior lawyers Cristina Criscuoli and Alberto Sandalo, lawyers Fulvio Miano, Giorgia Grande, Elena Wang, Marianna Riedo, Lara Mastrangelo, Chiara D’Onofrio, Nadja Zoebisch and trainee lawyers Roxana Smeria and Maria Vittoria Pessina.