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On July 28, 2000, STMicroelectronics announced it would pay $68 million for the remaining 85.5% of WaferScale Integration Inc. (WSI), a Fremont, California, maker of programmable system devices. ST already owned 14.5%. The deal added memory-rich programmable chips, related intellectual property and engineering capabilities to ST’s portfolio; it was not simply a purchase of a conventional FPGA company.
The deal at a glance
| Announced | July 28, 2000 |
|---|---|
| Buyer | STMicroelectronics, often called STMicro or ST |
| Company acquired | WaferScale Integration Inc. (WSI), headquartered in Fremont, California |
| Reported transaction value | $68 million for the remaining 85.5% |
| ST’s prior ownership | 14.5% |
| Planned organization | A business unit within ST’s Memory Products Group |
The $68 million figure was reported at the announcement. Contemporary coverage does not specify whether the consideration was cash, stock or a combination, nor does it describe the accounting treatment. EE Times reported the remaining-stake details; its related acquisition report covered the price and product rationale.
What WSI made: memory combined with programmable logic
WSI made programmable system devices (PSDs) built around EPROM or flash memory and programmable logic. Product descriptions also identify EEPROM and SRAM among the memory resources in the devices. The intended role was to provide configurable functions and memory alongside a standard microcontroller, consolidating components that might otherwise be separate chips.
A simplified view is:
Memory + programmable logic + support for an embedded controller → potentially fewer separate support chips
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That integration could help designers of embedded systems reduce component count. It also came with the usual design trade-off: a specialized, integrated device may not offer the logic capacity, flexibility or performance of a larger, general-purpose programmable-logic fabric. The contemporary reports do not provide the part numbers, memory densities, process nodes or performance specifications needed for a more detailed product comparison.
WSI’s PSDs should not be treated as interchangeable with high-density FPGAs. PSDs were oriented toward embedded control and combining memory with configurable support logic. FPGAs generally provide broader programmable logic fabrics used for a wider range of hardware designs, including larger parallel-processing tasks. The deal gave ST programmable-system-device technology; it does not establish that ST became a major general-purpose FPGA supplier.
Rank #2
- DEVELOPMENT BOARD: Nordic Semiconductor NRF52-DK development and evaluation board designed for wireless applications and prototyping
- WIRELESS CAPABILITIES: Features Bluetooth
- (BLE) and ANT protocol support with 2.4GHz operation frequency for versatile connectivity options
- PROCESSOR OPTIONS: Compatible with both nRF52810 and nRF52832 transceivers, offering flexibility for different project requirements
- NFC SUPPORT: Includes Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, expanding potential use cases and application scenarios
Why ST wanted the business
The acquisition joined WSI’s programmable devices and nonvolatile-memory expertise with ST’s existing semiconductor business. Its strategic logic had several parts:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Broader memory capabilities: WSI brought products and know-how involving flash and other nonvolatile memory.
- A programmable embedded offering: The devices added configurable logic around microcontroller-based systems, rather than memory alone.
- Potential manufacturing support: ST could bring its flash capabilities to support WSI’s flash-based products. That was a rationale for the deal, not evidence of a later production result.
- Intellectual property and engineering: WSI said it held 50 patents and had 42 applications pending. Those figures were reported claims at the time, not an independent assessment of the portfolio’s value.
- Design and commercial relationships: WSI had design centers in Fremont and Israel, and reported licensing or manufacturing relationships involving Sharp, Fairchild Semiconductor International and Tower Semiconductor.
One contemporary account characterized the acquisition as ST returning to programmable logic and referred to ST’s FPGA architecture work. That is useful context about the company’s ambitions in 2000, but the announcement-era reports do not show whether that work became a commercially significant product line. EE Times’ coverage discusses the design centers and FPGA context.
Rank #3
- EVALUATION BOARD: NRF9151-DK development board from Nordic Semiconductor designed for cellular IoT and GNSS applications
- CONNECTIVITY: Features both cellular connectivity and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) capabilities for location-based applications
- DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM: Ideal for prototyping and testing IoT devices, supporting cellular network communications
- COMPATIBILITY: Designed to work with Nordic Semiconductor's development tools and software development kit
- APPLICATIONS: Perfect for creating IoT solutions, asset tracking systems, and location-aware connected devices
What the announcement said about momentum
The reports cited more than 25 million shipments of one-time-programmable and EPROM-based PSDs. They also reported ST executive Carlo Bozotti’s statement that shipments of flash-based PSDs were growing by more than 50% per quarter. These are announcement-era figures attributed to the companies and executives involved; they are not independently audited market data. A rapid percentage increase also does not, on its own, reveal the size of the starting sales base, revenue or profitability.
How ST planned to integrate WSI
ST planned to make WSI a business unit within its Memory Products Group and keep its operations in the Silicon Valley area. Reza Kazerounian, WSI’s vice president and chief operating officer, was named to manage the unit. Mike Callahan was WSI’s president, CEO and chairman at the time of the announcement. The reports describe the initial organizational plan, not how long particular executives, facilities or products remained in place.
Rank #4
- Development Platform: nRF52833-DK evaluation board designed for prototyping and testing Bluetooth
- BLE, Thread, and Zigbee applications using the nRF52833 SoC
- Wireless Connectivity: Supports multiple protocols including Bluetooth
- (BLE), 802.15.4 (Thread, Zigbee) operating at 2.4GHz frequency for versatile wireless development
- Integrated Antenna: Features PCB trace antenna built directly on-board for immediate testing and development without requiring external antenna components
What the $68 million deal does—and does not—tell us
The price and ownership percentages describe the reported transaction, not its eventual financial return. The available contemporary reports do not establish WSI’s revenue, margins or valuation method; identify customer-level sales; give a closing date; or document the long-term fate of the WSI product line and staff. They also do not prove that ST’s FPGA ambitions yielded a major commercial business.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe acquisition is best understood as a strategic move to combine memory technology with programmable functionality for embedded systems. It illustrates an industry effort around the turn of the century to integrate nonvolatile memory and configurable logic—not a documented verdict on whether WSI became a lasting or successful ST product franchise. The reports are historical; they do not establish that WSI-branded devices remain available from ST today.
Quick Recap
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- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: Features multiple interface options including I2S, SPI, UART, and USB for comprehensive development capabilities
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- TEMPERATURE RANGE: Capable of operating in environments up to +105°C, ensuring reliable performance across diverse conditions
- AI COMPATIBILITY: Supports Edge Impulse platform integration, enabling advanced machine learning and AI development capabilities
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