14 DAY TRIAL // Intel used to only make CPUs and chipsets, but then it started developing solid-state drives, making its own motherboards, etc.
The company has also been buying and investing in smaller research and manufacturing firms.
As it happens, one such investment was made not long ago. Intel Capital, the division that handles such things, provided funding to French Company Movea. The sum is of 6.5 Million Euro, or just short of 8 million dollars.
Movea is developing new motion sensing and data fusion technologies for embedded systems, semiconductors and software.
Its goal is to “revolutionize” the mobile industry, especially the eHealth, sports and fitness and consumer electronics fields.
“This new round of funding will help provide the necessary resources for Movea to continue to grow and develop cutting-edge technology,” said Sam Guilaumé, CEO of Movea.
“The support from such industry leaders validates our vision of convergence from mobile devices - such as tablets, smartphones and Ultrabooks - to Set Top Boxes, Activity Monitoring and Car Infotainment, etc. We’re pleased to welcome Intel Capital as an investor and value this recognition of Movea as a leading edge company in the development of motion processing and data fusion technology to enable this convergence.”
Chipzilla really seems to be going at it. Just last month, it vowed to supply chip manufacturing equipment maker ASML with $4.1 billion, or €3.33 billion. What's more, barely a week before, Intel had invested millions in an Israeli biometrics company.
Funding Movea only goes to show that the Santa Clara, California-based corporation wants to expand its patent collection as quickly as possible.
“We look forward to supporting Movea and increasing our involvement in the MEMS and motion sensing space in general,” said Erik Jorgensen, investment director, Intel Capital. “We believe the role MEMS plays in technology, particularly on the mobile side, is going to continue to increase at a rapid pace and that Movea is in a position to be a key player to help drive and enable this important evolution.”