Qualcomm announced it will acquire Arduino, the open-source hardware and software platform with a community of more than 33 million developers.
Terms were not disclosed. Arduino will retain its brand, tools, and open-source mission while continuing to support chips from multiple vendors.
Alongside the news, a new hybrid single-board computer—the Arduino UNO Q—was unveiled, pairing a Qualcomm Dragonwing processor with a real-time microcontroller and introducing a new integrated development environment, Arduino App Lab.
Deal terms at a glance
- Buyer: Qualcomm
- Target: Arduino (Italy)
- Status: Announced; financial terms undisclosed; Arduino brand and tools to remain independent/compatible with multi-vendor silicon.
- Strategic add-ons: Launch of Arduino UNO Q and Arduino App Lab, positioned to accelerate AI-at-the-edge development
Why Qualcomm wants Arduino
Qualcomm has been pushing beyond smartphones into connected vehicles, industrial machines, and edge AI. Arduino is the world’s most recognizable gateway into embedded systems—used from classrooms to R&D labs—and a powerful funnel for developer mindshare.
Marrying Qualcomm’s silicon, software, and toolchain with Arduino’s community lowers friction for building robotics, automation, and vision/audio AI projects. Expect tighter ties to Qualcomm’s developer ecosystem and commercialization pathways.
Context: The move complements recent Qualcomm activity across edge software and AI tooling, and positions the company closer to where prototypes become products.
Coverage notes that App Lab will integrate with model-building workflows and broader Qualcomm platforms to shorten build–test–deploy loops for AI at the edge.
The first product of the tie-up: Arduino UNO Q
Arduino introduced UNO Q, a dual-brain board in the classic UNO footprint:
- Application processor: Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 (quad 64-bit Arm Cortex-A53 up to ~2 GHz, Adreno GPU, dual-ISP) capable of running Linux (Debian) and lightweight AI models.
- Real-time coprocessor: STMicro STM32U585 microcontroller for deterministic control and I/O timing.
- Software: Ships with Arduino App Lab—a new environment to manage Arduino Sketches, Python, and AI models in one place.
- Price & availability: Starting at $44 (also listed as ~€47.60 incl. VAT) with pre-orders open; shipping expected late October 2025.
Why it matters: UNO Q merges SBC-class compute (graphics, camera ISPs, on-device AI) with microcontroller-grade real-time control—useful for robotics, automation, and responsive edge devices. Developers can prototype full stacks (Linux apps + real-time firmware) on a single board without abandoning familiar Arduino workflows.
What changes for developers (and what doesn’t)
- Open source & multi-vendor support continue: Both firms say Arduino will stay open and maintain compatibility with chips from a range of suppliers—not just Qualcomm. That reduces lock-in risk for classrooms and professional teams with heterogeneous fleets.
- Tooling gets denser: App Lab targets unified workflows across RTOS, Linux, Python, and AI—reducing friction between firmware and application layers and integrating with AI model tooling.
- Faster path from prototype to product: Access to Qualcomm’s partner network, reference designs, and commercialization channels could help Arduino projects scale beyond proofs-of-concept.
Implications for the ecosystem
- Education to enterprise bridge: Arduino’s classroom ubiquity plus SBC-class AI hardware strengthens the talent pipeline for embedded AI, benefiting startups and industrial OEMs seeking rapid prototyping.
- Edge AI competition intensifies: A low-cost Linux-capable UNO challenges Raspberry Pi-style boards and NPU-accelerated MCUs chasing the same “AI at the edge” use cases. Expect more integrated IDEs and turnkey model pipelines across vendors.
- Developer experience becomes the moat: Tight coupling of silicon, drivers, SDKs, and an approachable IDE could be as decisive as raw TOPS. Qualcomm’s integration message mirrors broader industry moves toward full-stack edge platforms.
Competitive landscape
Commentary across the maker/embedded press frames the deal as a bid to “own the edge developer experience,” with the UNO Q priced to undercut many AI-capable SBCs while preserving Arduino’s simplicity.
Early hands-ons highlight Linux + real-time “hybrid” workflows and App Lab’s role as the glue.
Risks and open questions
- Regulatory/closing: Several reports describe the acquisition as subject to regulatory approval; closing timelines and detailed financials remain undisclosed.
- Vendor neutrality: Maintaining genuine multi-vendor support will be scrutinized by educators and enterprises with existing non-Qualcomm deployments.
- Supply & availability: Demand spikes for new low-cost SBCs often bring allocation challenges; watch pre-order to shipment cadence through late October and Q4.
What to watch out for
- App Lab release cadence (plugins, Edge Impulse workflows, model import from Qualcomm AI Hub).
- Board variants (RAM/eMMC options, accelerators, camera modules) and ecosystem shields/hats optimized for AI/vision
- Education & enterprise programs that formalize Arduino-to-production pathways via Qualcomm’s partner network.
Am I nervous about this – yes. Its very rare that a takeover means better quality and products for the consumer and the risk to the Arduino open source system, for me is reasonably high. Will Qualcomm tolerate the dozens of Chinese knock off boards undercutting their products price – we will see.
Will I buy an Uno Q – you bet. We will go over that new board in an article coming soon.
