Matsushita Electronics (known for its brand Panasonic) has recently acquired Elixent, a Bristol-based reconfigurable start-up, in order to establish a strategic European R&D center in the region after it has been financing the British company for quite a long time, in forms Electronics Weekly. Unfortunately, the sums involved in the transaction were not revealed up until now by the two companies.

"The company, set up in 2000 by a team from HP Labs and led by Alan Marshall, will become the Panasonic Strategic Semiconductor Research and Development Centre," said a spokesman for Panasonic cited by Electronics Weekly.

It appears that Matsushita intends to adopt Elixent's technology - the D-Fabrix - in its well-known Unipher platform for chips that built-in a wide range of Panasonic products.

"Elixent has had over $40m of investment from Panasonic Digital Concepts Centre, the Silicon Valley based venture capital arm of Matsushita Electric Industrial and Toshiba Corporation, as well as the original investors 3i, GIMV and NIF Ventures," writes Electronics Weekly.

Last week, Panasonic Broadcast announced that it has signed an agreement with Partners Equity Capital Company (PECC) in order to provide innovative financing and leasing programs to business customers who want to acquire Panasonic professional video equipment and that the PECC will control the program - Panasonic Finance Solutions - through Panasonic's current professional video reseller network.

"The desire among our professional video users, especially small businesses, to be able to lease equipment is quite great. Panasonic Finance Solutions will serve as a one-stop provider for our customers by not only offering the best professional video equipment, but also the most affordable way to acquire it," said John Baisley, President of Panasonic Broadcast.

Panasonic Finance Solutions' leases include service for the entire term, professional fees and other soft costs, as the offer can also guarantee for the ability to upgrade or add-on equipment as required to ensure the customer's access to the latest technology.