Ceva

What Ceva does

Ceva is a publicly traded semiconductor intellectual property (IP) licensor headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, that licenses silicon and software IP blocks to chipmakers and OEMs across consumer IoT, automotive, industrial, infrastructure, PC, and mobile end markets. Founded in 2002 and listed on NASDAQ under the ticker CEVA, the company organizes its portfolio around three pillars: Connect (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, 5G/NTN cellular modem, and Open RAN IP), Sense (vision AI DSP, spatial audio, sensor fusion, and voice enhancement), and Infer (a family of neural processing units spanning ultra-low-power embedded ML to high-throughput generative AI). Ceva's IP has shipped in over 21 billion devices to date across more than 400 customer relationships, with major anchor licensees including NXP, Nokia, Microchip, Renesas, Nordic Semiconductor, Sonova, LG, Lenovo, Socionext, and BOS Semiconductors.

Ceva monetizes through two primary revenue streams: upfront licensing fees for access to its IP portfolio and ongoing royalty payments tied to licensee chip shipments. In 2025 the company reported total revenue of $109.6 million (2% year-over-year), comprising $63.6 million in licensing and $46.0 million in royalty revenue, with gross margins of approximately 89%. Q1 2026 revenue reached $27.0 million, up 11% year-over-year, with licensing revenue at a three-year high of $17.8 million. The go-to-market motion is direct B2B IP licensing with multi-year contracts, complemented by ecosystem partnerships (Sensory, embedUR, Dolphin Semiconductor, LitePoint) and full-stack wireless engagements following the integration of internally developed RF technology.

Ceva has expanded its addressable market through targeted acquisitions including Hillcrest Labs (sensor fusion, 2019), Intrinsix Corp. (chip design services, $33 million, 2021), and RealSpace 3D Spatial Audio from VisiSonics ($3.6 million, 2023). In November 2025 the company completed a $58.5 million public equity offering to fund potential M&A and general corporate purposes. Recent product launches — including Ceva-Waves UWB IP (IEEE 802.15.4ab), PentaG-NTN 5G satellite modem IP, RealSpace Elevate (Microsoft-certified Windows APO), and NeuPro-M generative AI NPU — position Ceva at the intersection of edge AI, satellite connectivity, and next-generation wireless standards.

Name

Ceva

Legal name

Ceva, Inc.

Website

https://ceva-ip.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ceva is a publicly traded semiconductor IP licensor (NASDAQ: CEVA) that licenses silicon and software intellectual property for connectivity, sensing, and edge AI to chipmakers and OEMs serving consumer IoT, automotive, industrial, and infrastructure markets worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor IP Licensing

NAICS

Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)

akta.pro primary industry

Hardware/Chip Design IP Cores (Processor, Interface, Analog, Security) (HDAHAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

RF Transceivers & RFIC SoCs (Cellular/Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth) (HDAHAMAE), Mobile & Wireless Connectivity SoCs (Modem/Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth/GNSS) (HDAHABAA), Audio, Imaging & Multimedia SoCs (ISP/Codec/Display) (HDAHABAH), IP Enablement, Characterization & Porting Services (HDAHAFAI), Networking & Data Center Silicon (Switch/NIC/DPU/SerDes) (HDAHABAB)

Keywords

• Semiconductor IP licensing
• Wireless connectivity IP
• Edge AI processing
• Neural processing units
• Spatial audio software

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Related Revenues: Upfront licensing fees paid by customers for the right to use Ceva's IP in their products. Customers pay to access Ceva's technology portfolio including connectivity, AI, and sensing solutions.
2. Royalty Revenues: Ongoing royalties based on chip shipments by licensees. Royalty revenue is earned when customers ship chips incorporating Ceva's IP, providing recurring revenue tied to end-market demand.
3. IP Licensing (Primary): Core business model focused on licensing semiconductor IP to chip companies. Revenue split between upfront licensing fees (65% of 2025 revenue at $63.6M) and royalty streams from chip shipments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ceva licenses silicon and software intellectual property (IP) cores to semiconductor companies and OEMs for use in smart edge devices. Its portfolio spans wireless connectivity (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, cellular IoT, 5G-Advanced), sensing and audio (vision DSP, spatial audio, sensor fusion, voice enhancement), and edge AI inference (NeuPro NPUs from embedded ML to generative AI), enabling customers to integrate Connect, Sense, and Infer capabilities into their chips.

Product overview

Ceva is a leading licensor of silicon and software intellectual property (IP) for smart edge devices. Its product portfolio is organized around three core pillars — Connect (wireless connectivity), Sense (sensing and audio), and Infer (edge AI) — providing the foundational IP that enables devices to connect, perceive their environment, and perform AI inference at the edge. The Connect portfolio spans Ceva-Waves Links (multi-protocol), Ceva-Waves Bluetooth (including Bluetooth 6.0 and HDT), Ceva-Waves Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6/7), Ceva-Waves UWB (IEEE 802.15.4ab), Ceva-Waves Dragonfly (cellular IoT), and Ceva-PentaG/Ceva-PentaG RAN (5G-Advanced modem IP), along with Ceva-XC21 and Ceva-XC23 DSPs for cellular IoT and RAN. The Sense portfolio includes Ceva-SensPro2 (vision AI DSP), Ceva-RealSpace (spatial audio with head tracking), Ceva-MotionEngine (sensor fusion), Ceva-ClearVox (AI noise cancellation), Ceva-BX1/BX2 (digital signal controllers/baseband processors), and RealSpace Elevate (Microsoft-certified Windows APO for gaming audio). The Infer portfolio centers on the Ceva-NeuPro NPU family — Ceva-NeuPro-M for generative AI and Ceva-NeuPro-Nano for embedded ML — plus Ceva-NeuPro-Studio AI toolkit. The company has grown its IP portfolio through targeted acquisitions including RealSpace3D spatial audio from VisiSonics (2023), Hillcrest Labs sensor fusion (2019), and Intrinsix chip design services (2021). With more than 21 billion devices shipped and over 400 customers worldwide, Ceva's IP is embedded in chips used across consumer IoT, automotive, industrial, infrastructure, PC, and mobile markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RivieraWaves: Wireless connectivity IP platform for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
• Ceva-Waves
• Ceva-NeuPro
• Ceva-SensPro
• Ceva-RealSpace
• Ceva-MotionEngine
• Ceva-ClearVox
• Ceva-PentaG

Products and services

• Ceva-Waves Bluetooth Bluetooth IP platform for wireless audio, data, and location connectivity, including Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth 6.0, and the High Data Throughput (HDT) variant with data rates up to 7.5 Mbps, licensed to semiconductor companies for integration into smart edge SoCs.
• Ceva-Waves Wi-Fi Wi-Fi IP platform spanning Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7, delivering high-throughput, power-efficient wireless connectivity for IoT, consumer, and infrastructure applications, licensed to chipmakers for integration into SoCs.
• Ceva-Waves UWB Ultra-Wideband IP platform compliant with IEEE 802.15.4ab standard, offering up to 30x extended ranging and 4x higher data rates for secure access, precise positioning, radar sensing, and data applications, licensed to semiconductor companies for integration into connected devices.
• Ceva-Waves Links Multi-protocol wireless platform supporting combinations of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, and other wireless standards in a single, integrated solution for smart edge SoCs, licensed to chipmakers.
• Ceva-Waves Dragonfly Cellular IoT platform IP supporting NB-IoT and Cat-M standards for low-power wide-area connectivity in IoT and wearable devices, licensed to semiconductor companies.
• Ceva-PentaG 5G-Advanced modem IP platform for cellular baseband processing, supporting the full spectrum of 5G use cases from enhanced mobile broadband to industrial IoT and private networks, licensed to chipmakers.
• PentaG-NTN 5G-NTN modem IP subsystem for satellite user terminals supporting LEO and MEO constellations, built on third-generation PentaG platform with 3GPP Release-18 compliance. Designed to reduce modem silicon development time by approximately 65% and cut program costs by tens of millions of dollars, licensed to semiconductor companies.
• Ceva-PentaG RAN Open RAN platform IP enabling the development of 5G radio access network solutions compliant with O-RAN specifications for flexible, virtualized network deployments, licensed to infrastructure equipment makers.
• Ceva-XC21 Ultra-efficient AI-enabled DSP architecture for cellular IoT and 5G/5G-Advanced devices, delivering up to 1.8x performance improvement over the prior generation with 48% area reduction, targeting cost-sensitive cellular IoT and 5G/5G-Advanced devices including smartwatches, smart-home gateways, and sensors, licensed to chipmakers.
• Ceva-XC23 5G RAN DSP providing high-performance baseband processing for cellular infrastructure and radio access network equipment, licensed to infrastructure equipment makers.
• Ceva-SensPro2 (SensPro) Vision AI DSP architecture for processing camera, radar, LiDAR, and microphone data, optimized for LiDAR and radar pre-processing to enable efficient handling of raw sensor data and reduced latency in perception pipelines for ADAS and autonomous systems, licensed to chipmakers.
• Ceva-RealSpace Spatial audio software providing multi-channel 3D audio rendering with head tracking for headsets, assistive hearing, and XR devices, creating immersive listening experiences for hearables and gaming applications, licensed to OEMs and chipmakers.
• RealSpace Elevate Microsoft-certified Windows Audio Processing Object (APO) software enabling gaming headset and PC OEMs to deliver fully customizable 7.1 multi-channel spatial audio experiences with OEM control over tuning, branding, and user experience for gaming and entertainment content.
• Ceva-MotionEngine Sensor fusion software delivering precise motion tracking and activity classification using inertial measurement units (IMUs) for wearables, headsets, XR devices, robots, and smart remote controls, licensed to OEMs and chipmakers.
• Ceva-ClearVox AI-powered noise cancellation and voice enhancement software for voice communications in noisy environments, featuring advanced environmental noise cancellation, voice isolation, and keyword spotting, licensed to OEMs and chipmakers.
• Ceva-BX2 Baseband processor IP for cellular and wireless applications, providing signal processing for cellular modem implementations, licensed to chipmakers.
• Ceva-BX1 Digital signal controller IP for general-purpose signal processing tasks across wireless, audio, and sensor applications, licensed to chipmakers.
• Ceva-NeuPro-M NPU IP for generative AI, supporting high-throughput AI inference for LLMs, vision transformers, and multi-modal AI models at the edge, with scalable performance from GOPS to hundreds of TOPS for infrastructure, automotive, and high-end consumer applications, licensed to chipmakers.
• Ceva-NeuPro-Nano NPU IP for embedded machine learning, delivering AI inference with exceptional energy efficiency and minimal silicon footprint for resource-constrained edge devices such as smart sensors, wearables, and industrial IoT systems, licensed to chipmakers. Winner of the 2026 Embedded Award in the Artificial Intelligence category and the 2025 IoT Edge Computing Excellence Award.
• Ceva-NeuPro-Studio AI toolkit (SDK) for end-to-end AI model development and deployment on Ceva's NeuPro NPU family, automating compression processes including mixed-precision quantization, group quantization, and hardware-aware optimization, licensed to chipmakers and AI developers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces modem silicon development time by approximately 65%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability8 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and core.

• Mitsui & Co.strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Joint venture Ceva Bussan Animal Health created combining Bussan Animal Health and Ceva Japan. Mitsui transferred 60% of its shareholding to Ceva, making Ceva controlling shareholder. BAH generated approximately €40 million in revenue in 2025.
• LenovostrategicTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2026Lenovo's ThinkPad Dual-Mode Wireless ANC Foldable Headset 8550 (Aura Edition) features Ceva's RealSpace spatial audio software with head tracking for immersive 3D sound experiences.
• Dolphin SemiconductorstrategicTechnology or Integration · 24 March 2026Collaboration to develop 12nm AIoT System-on-Chip combining Bluetooth, AI, and premium audio capabilities for low-power devices. Enables next-generation earbuds, headsets, smartwatches, and smart glasses.
• Renesas ElectronicscoreTechnology or Integration · 10 February 2026Renesas integrated Ceva-Waves Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth LE IPs into its newly launched RA6W1 and RA6W2 combo microcontrollers for IoT and smart home applications. The collaboration enables flexible, power-efficient wireless solutions with hosted or hostless implementation options.
• BOS SemiconductorscoreTechnology or Integration · 6 January 2026BOS Semiconductors licensed Ceva's SensPro AI DSP architecture for its Eagle-A standalone ADAS System-on-Chip for autonomous driving. The SensPro DSP handles LiDAR and radar pre-processing to enable real-time perception and sensor fusion.
• NXP SemiconductorscoreTechnology or Integration · 6 January 2026NXP integrated Ceva's AI DSP into its S32Z2 and S32E2 real-time processors for software-defined vehicles. The integration enables predictive analytics, energy management, and intelligent control capabilities.
• SensorystrategicTechnology or Integration · 6 January 2026Collaboration to integrate Sensory's TrulyHandsfree voice activation technology into Ceva's NeuPro-Nano NPU ecosystem. Enables ultra-low-power, on-device keyword spotting for battery-constrained consumer devices.
• IntelPro Inc.strategicTechnology or Integration · 13 November 2025Partnership to develop and launch IntelPro IPRO7AI system-on-chip integrating wireless connectivity, security, multimedia, and AI for IoT devices. Inaugural product powered by Ceva-Waves Bluetooth Low Energy 5 IP.
• United Micro TechnologystrategicTechnology or Integration · 11 November 2025Collaboration to launch HyperMotion 5G RedCap Automotive IoT Platform combining United Micro's 5G RedCap SoC with Ceva's PentaG Lite platform IP and DSP technology for automotive telematics and C-V2X applications.
• Microchip TechnologycoreTechnology or Integration · 5 November 2025Partnership to embed Ceva's NeuPro AI processing units in Microchip products to accelerate AI deployment across edge devices and data center infrastructure. Involves integrating Ceva's NeuPro Studio SDK.
• embedURstrategicTechnology or Integration · 31 October 2025Partnership to launch dedicated ModelNova platform version for Ceva's NeuPro NPU family. Enhances edge AI inference across diverse devices with curated AI model library optimized for low-power and high-performance NPUs.
• VisiSonics CorporationstrategicOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 10 May 2023Acquired RealSpace 3D Spatial Audio business including technology, patents, and R&D team for $3.6 million to strengthen position in hearables market and enhance application software portfolio for embedded systems.
• Intrinsix Corp.strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2021Acquired Intrinsix Corp., a chip design specialist from Massachusetts, for approximately $33 million in cash. Expanded offerings to include full turnkey IP platforms supporting industries like 5G, automotive, aerospace, and defense.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Arm Holdings: Arm is the dominant processor IP licensor (CPU architectures) for the semiconductor industry. While broader in scope than Ceva's connectivity/AI/sensing focus, Arm competes in the same IP licensing model and has begun expanding into adjacent IP categories that overlap with Ceva's portfolio.
• Synopsys: Synopsys is a leading EDA vendor that also licenses semiconductor IP including interface, analog, and connectivity IP. It competes directly with Ceva in the connectivity IP space and bundles IP with its broader design tool offerings, giving it significant incumbent advantages.
• Cadence Design Systems: Cadence is a major EDA and semiconductor IP licensor offering analog, interface, and DSP IP that overlaps with Ceva's wireless and signal processing portfolio. As with Synopsys, Cadence bundles IP with EDA tools and serves many of the same semiconductor customers as Ceva.

Direct peers

• Imagination Technologies: Imagination Technologies licenses GPU and AI accelerator IP to semiconductor companies, directly competing with Ceva's NeuPro NPU family in the edge AI inference market. Both companies target similar fabless and IDM customers in mobile, automotive, and IoT segments.
• VeriSilicon: VeriSilicon is a semiconductor IP licensor offering a portfolio spanning GPU, VPU, NPU, DSP, and connectivity IP. It directly competes with Ceva across multiple product lines including AI inference IP and wireless connectivity, targeting similar Chinese and global semiconductor customers.
• Arteris: Arteris licenses network-on-chip (NoC) and SoC integration IP to semiconductor companies. While narrower in focus than Ceva's portfolio, it serves the same fabless customer base and competes in adjacent IP categories for system-on-chip design.

Emerging players

• Alphawave IP: Alphawave licenses high-speed SerDes, PCIe, and connectivity IP for data center and networking applications. It overlaps with Ceva's connectivity IP portfolio in the infrastructure and data center segments and represents a focused competitor in high-speed interconnect IP.
• Silicon Creations: Silicon Creations specializes in mixed-signal and connectivity IP including PLL, SerDes, and SerDes IP. It is a smaller competitor in the broader semiconductor IP market where Ceva operates, with overlap in connectivity interface IP for wireless and wired applications.
• Chips&Media: Chips&Media licenses video codec and image signal processor IP for multimedia SoCs. It competes with parts of Ceva's vision and multimedia IP portfolio and serves similar applications in camera, automotive, and consumer electronics segments.
• Mobiveil: Mobiveil is a smaller semiconductor IP company specializing in connectivity, memory, and SSD controller IP. It overlaps with Ceva's connectivity IP portfolio and competes for design wins in IoT, storage, and networking applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CEVA_IP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cevadsp
• Facebookfacebook.com/CEVAIP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceva
• Instagraminstagram.com/ceva_ip

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ceva