Chip designers, broadband gear firm win backing from fund
Intel Capital yesterday announced the first investments from its US$200 million China fund, backing two chip designers and a firm that manufactures broadband television networking equipment.
The semiconductor giant - which has made more than 50 investments in the mainland, 11 of which have been bought or gone public - would not disclose the size of the deals, but it typically invests US$3 million to US$5 million per round.
Intel Capital manages about US$4 billion worldwide and has been active in China for the past seven years. It set up a special fund in June to focus solely on mainland investment.
It took part in the second fund-raising round for VeriSilicon Holdings, a fabless design foundry.
Shanghai-based VeriSilicon raised US$13.5 million from Intel and other investors, including CID Ventures, HSBC Private Equity, Legend Capital and International Finance Corp, the venture capital arm of the World Bank. The firm raised US$6.5 million previously.
Intel also backed Shenzhen-based semiconductor designer Chipsbrand Microelectronics and Shanghai-based Onewave Technologies, which provides broadband television equipment to fixed-line carriers.
