ChipX

In the world of semiconductors, companies often follow a familiar playbook. But the story of ChipX, a structured ASIC vendor, is a noteworthy tale of adaptation. Founded in 1989 as Chip Express, the company focused on application-specific integrated circuits. A pivotal moment arrived in March 2004, when the company secured $12 million in financing, rebranded to ChipX, and appointed Doron Birger as its new chairman. This funding was earmarked to advance their structured ASIC technology, a middle ground between FPGAs and standard-cell ASICs. The company designed and manufactured a range of ASIC solutions, including standard cell and hybrid products, and developed valuable intellectual property in interfaces like PCI Express and USB 2.0. This expertise attracted a portfolio of tier-one customers in industrial, medical, and military sectors. After raising a total of $74.2 million, ChipX's journey as an independent entity concluded in November 2009. It was acquired by GigOptix, a high-speed analog semiconductor manufacturer. The deal saw ChipX investors receive approximately 3.5 million common shares of GigOptix. The acquisition was a strategic move for GigOptix to enter the ASIC market, expand its product offerings, and leverage ChipX's established customer base and design capabilities.