What ARC International does

ARC International is a UK-based semiconductor intellectual property (IP) company founded in 1990 in Cambridge, originally focused on configurable processor cores that enabled high-quality multimedia content capture and sharing across embedded devices. The company historically built a portfolio of configurable RISC/DSP processor cores and accumulated embedded software and EDA capabilities through acquisitions of MetaWare, Precise Software Technologies, Teja Technologies, Tenison Technology EDA, Alarity, and Sonic Focus. Following its acquisition by MIPS Technologies in 2026, ARC has been integrated into the MIPS Atlas family of solutions and repositioned to serve the Physical AI market — covering automotive, robotics, embedded, and edge AI workloads — organized around a Sense, Think, Act, Communicate signal chain. Under MIPS, the ARC product portfolio now includes the Atlas ARC-V high-performance RISC-V application processors, ARC Classic legacy embedded cores, Atlas NPX neural processing units (NPUs) for AI/ML acceleration at the edge, and Atlas VPX vector DSPs for high-performance signal processing, all paired with the MIPS Atlas Explorer software tool and ASIP Designer/Programmer/Tools for IP evaluation, subsystem design, and SoC prototyping in virtual platforms ahead of silicon.

ARC's business model rests on semiconductor IP licensing to fabless semiconductor and SoC companies, with revenue typically generated through upfront license fees, royalties on customer chip shipments, and supporting tool and design services. Following the MIPS acquisition, ARC's IP is distributed through MIPS's sales channels and paired with GlobalFoundries' custom edge silicon manufacturing, enabling customers to define and produce custom chips at scale. The combined MIPS/ARC entity operates globally across automotive, data center infrastructure, embedded, and network/communications markets, with the RISC-V open architecture as its underlying ISA strategy. The 51-100 historical employee headcount and lack of publicly disclosed pricing suggest a focused, niche-licensing model rather than high-volume transactional sales.

Name

ARC International

Legal name

MIPS

Website

https://arc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ARC International, a UK-based semiconductor IP company founded in 1990, was acquired by MIPS Technologies in 2026 and now provides configurable processor cores, NPUs, and DSPs under the MIPS Atlas family for Physical AI applications including automotive, robotics, and embedded edge devices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Processor IP

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Processor IP cores
• Semiconductor IP
• RISC-V processors
• Neural processing units
• DSP solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Core offering

ARC International designs, develops, and licenses configurable processor IP cores and related software tools for the semiconductor industry. Its portfolio now spans the Atlas ARC-V RISC-V application processors, ARC Classic embedded processors, Atlas NPX neural processing units, and Atlas VPX vector DSPs, enabling customers to build custom SoCs for Physical AI, automotive, robotics, embedded, and networking applications.

Product overview

ARC International's product portfolio, now integrated into MIPS Technologies under the Atlas family, consists of multiple processor and DSP product lines: Atlas ARC-V (high-performance application processors), ARC Classic (legacy embedded processors), Atlas NPX (neural processing units for AI acceleration), and Atlas VPX (vector DSPs). These products are offered alongside MIPS's own MIPS processor families (M8500, I8500, P8700, S8200 series) and supported by software tools including MIPS Atlas Explorer and ASIP Designer/Programmer/Tools. The portfolio targets Physical AI applications organized around the Sense, Think, Act, Communicate signal chain for automotive, robotics, embedded, and networking markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atlas ARC-V: ARC-V processor family for Physical AI applications
• ARC Classic
• Atlas NPX
• Atlas VPX
• MIPS Atlas Explorer

Products and services

• Atlas ARC-V

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ISGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISG, a full-service architecture and engineering firm, acquired ARC International, a Rapid City architecture firm with 27 years of local experience. The acquisition establishes ISG's permanent presence in Rapid City, joining existing offices in Dakota Dunes, Sioux Falls, and Pierre, and enhances the firm's architecture team to serve communities across western South Dakota. ARC International's portfolio includes projects at Black Hills Energy, Ellsworth Air Force Base, and various schools and businesses throughout the Black Hills region.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Andes Technology: Andes ships RISC-V CPU IP (Nuclei, A-series, V-series) targeting edge AI, IoT and automotive, overlapping with MIPS/ARC's RISC-V-based ARC-V and NPX IP offerings.
• Arm Holdings: Arm sells the dominant licensed CPU IP (Cortex-A/R/M, Mali GPU) into the same automotive, embedded, and IoT sockets where ARC's ARC-V and ARC Classic compete, making it the most direct incumbent competitor.
• Imagination Technologies: Imagination licenses GPU, NPU, and CPU IP for edge devices, giving it a heterogeneous stack analogous to ARC's CPU+NPU+DSP portfolio and competing for automotive and embedded design wins.
• Ceva Inc. Ceva licenses DSP, AI, and connectivity IP for wireless, IoT, and edge-AI SoCs. It directly competes with ARC's VPX DSP and Atlas NPX NPU families in the same edge AI and signal-processing markets.
• SiFive: SiFive is a leading RISC-V CPU IP vendor offering application processors and cores (U, S, X series), competing head-to-head with MIPS/ARC's Atlas ARC-V family in embedded and automotive RISC-V sockets.
• Cadence Design Systems: Cadence's Tensilica DSP and ASIP IP directly rival ARC's VPX DSP and ASIP Designer tools, and Cadence is a major EDA partner where ARC competes for embedded DSP and audio/wireless SoC sockets.
• Synopsys: Synopsys acquired the original ARC International in 2010 and markets ARC-based DesignWare processor IP and ASIP tools, directly overlapping with ARC's ARC Classic, ARC-V, and ASIP Designer portfolio in the embedded/configurable processor category.

Emerging players

• Think Silicon: Think Silicon focuses on ultra-low-power NPU and display controller IP for wearables and IoT, overlapping with Atlas NPX in edge AI inference workloads.
• VeriSilicon: VeriSilicon offers Vivante GPU, NPU and DSP IP, providing an alternative heterogeneous IP stack to ARC for edge AI customers, though with a smaller install base than Arm/Cadence.

Others

• RISC-V International: RISC-V International is the consortium stewarding the open ISA that ARC-V is built on. Its direction-setting role materially shapes ARC-V's roadmap, competitive positioning against SiFive and Andes, and the overall RISC-V IP market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/synopsys
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mips-technologies
• Facebookfacebook.com/Synopsys

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A7 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about ARC International