The SoftBank Group (9984.T) has acquired English GraphCore, a semiconductor manufacturer for artificial intelligence (AI). The amount of the acquisition was not disclosed.
Graphcore used to attract attention as a rival company of US semiconductor giant NVDA.O (NVDA.O), but it has struggled to secure the funds necessary for competition.
The valuation value as of the end of 2020 was 2770 million dollars, but in documents published last year, it was clarified that further funds are needed to balance balance income and expenditure. The company has cut the number of employees by one-fifth and is closing operations in Norway, Japan, and South Korea.