Microchip Technology offers support and resources to educators, researchers and students in an effort to increase awareness and knowledge of embedded applications.[2][3][4]
Microchip Technology became an independent company in 1989 when it was acquired by a group of venture capitalists led by Sequoia Capital.[7] In the same year, Microchip Technology announced the release of small, inexpensive 8-bit reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microcontrollers for $2.40 apiece, whereas most RISC microcontrollers were 32-bit devices selling for hundreds of dollars.[8]
In 1990, 60% of Microchip Technology's sales were from the disc drive industry and the product portfolio relied heavily on commodity EEPROM products.[9] The company was losing US$2.5 million per quarter, had less than 6 months of cash in reserve, had exhausted lines of credit, and was failing to control expenses. Early in the year, the venture capital investors accepted an offer to sell Microchip Technology to Winbond Electronics Corporation of Taiwan for $15M. Winbond Electronics backed out of the deal after the Taiwanese stock market decreased in May 1990. Vice President of Operations, Steve Sanghi, was named president and chief operating officer of Microchip Technology in 1990.[5] After several quarters of losses, Sanghi oversaw Microchip Technology's transition from selling commodity-based products to specialized chips, such as the RISC technology.
Microchip Technology conducted an IPO in 1993, which Fortune magazine cited as the best performing IPO of the year with a stock appreciation of 500% and over $1bn in market capitalization.[10] At the end of 2015, Microchip Technology posted its 100th consecutive quarter of profitability.[11]
In March 2021, Sanghi was replaced as CEO by Ganesh Moorthy.
2024-present
In March 2024, Microchip furloughed production staff and non-manufacturing employees were forced to take a pay-cut for two weeks.[12] This was done again in June.[13] In late November, Moorthy retired as CEO and Steve Sanghi was appointed interim CEO.[14] In early December of that year, Sanghi announced the closure of Fab 2 in Tempe, Arizona and also announced that Microchip would suspend its application for CHIPS and Science Act funding.[15][16] On February 10, 2025, Microchip announced that they would again furlough employees intermittently throughout the rest of the year.[17]
In 1995, Microchip acquired KeeLoq technology from Nanoteq of South Africa for $10M in cash. Microchip Technology used the purchase to create the Secure Data Products Group.
In 2002, Microchip acquired a wafer fab in Gresham, Oregon from Fujitsu for $183.5M. This fab became, and still is, Microchip's largest and is known as Fab 4.[24]
On October 15, 2008, Microchip acquired Hampshire Company, a company that sold large-format universal touch screen controller electronics and related software.[25][26]
On February 20, 2009, Microchip acquired Australia-based HI-TECH Software.[27]
On January 11, 2010, Microchip acquired Thomas H. Lee'sSunnyvale, California-based ZeroG Wireless for an undisclosed amount after a year-long partnership. The deal allowed Microchip to provide a Wi-Fi product for their PIC microcontrollers.[28][29][30]
In April 2010, Microchip completed the acquisition of Silicon Storage Technology (SST) from for about $292M. Microchip and Cerberus Capital Management both made offers for the company. Microchip sold several SST flash memory assets back to Bing Yeh, co-founder of SST, to another one his companies the next month.[31][32]
In 2012, Microchip acquired German-based Ident Technology AG, California based Roving Networks, and Standard Microsystems Corporation.[33][34][35][36]
On June 3, 2013, Microchip acquired Novocell Semiconductor, Inc. through its Silicon Storage Technology (SST) subsidiary.[37][38]
In 2014, Microchip acquired Supertex, Inc and Belgian-based EqcoLogic on February 10,[39][40][41][42] and Taiwan-based ISSC Technologies on May 22.[43][44]
On August 3, 2015, Microchip acquired IC manufacturer Micrel for about $839M.[45][46]
In October 2020, Microchip acquired New Zealand-based Tekron International Limited for an undisclosed amount.[52]
In April 2024, Microchip acquired both South Korea-based VSI Co. Ltd.[53] and Neuronix AI Labs.[54]
Products
A 1988 vintage Microchip PIC16CR54 with the Apple Desktop Bus protocol pre-programmed, before they became an independent company, as used in a Macintosh SE.Microchip Technology PIC16C63 EPROM Erasable Ceramic DIP Package MicrocontrollerMicrochip Technology PIC16C558 EPROM DIP Microcontroller. EPROM and EEPROM versions were used before FLASH based PIC16F parts became available
Microchip also offers custom programming, AI coding assistant,[65] hardware and software development tools and reference designs.[66][67] Available reference designs include complete systems, subsystems or functions which are purpose-built and include design files, software and support.
In April 2009, Microchip Technology announced the nanoWatt XLP microcontrollers, claiming the world's lowest sleep current.[75] Microchip Technology had sold more than 6 billion microcontrollers as of 2009.[76] As of 2011, Microchip Technology ships over a billion processors every year. In September 2011, Microchip Technology shipped the 10 billionth PIC microcontroller.[77][78]
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US$4.40 billion (2025)
US$7.08 billion (2025)
