Arduino’s ecosystem is entering a new era as Qualcomm steps in with an acquisition deal that blends open-source creativity with advanced semiconductor power. Although now under Qualcomm’s wing, Arduino will retain its own brand identity and continue to support its wide catalogue of microcontrollers and processors sourced from multiple chipmakers
| Image credit: Qualcomm
- Qualcomm acquires Arduino but keeps its brand independent while merging open-source creativity with advanced chip tech.
- The new Arduino Uno Q debuts with Qualcomm’s Dragonwing chip, bringing AI-ready dual-processor power to edge computing.
- Arduino’s App Lab simplifies development across Linux, Python, and AI, speeding up the path from idea to deployment.
- Integration with Edge Impulse enables real-time AI training for tasks like sound detection, recognition, and automation.
- The Qualcomm-Arduino merger promises a future of smarter, accessible AI hardware for both hobbyists and industry innovators.
Arduino’s ecosystem is entering a new era as Qualcomm steps in with an acquisition deal that blends open-source creativity with advanced semiconductor power. Although now under Qualcomm’s wing, Arduino will retain its own brand identity and continue to support its wide catalogue of microcontrollers and processors sourced from multiple chipmakers.
The collaboration opens the door for Arduino’s vast user community — more than 33 million strong — to benefit from Qualcomm’s extensive technology portfolio and international reach. This merger is positioned as a bridge between accessible hardware tinkering and the high-performance AI systems driving modern automation.
One of the early outcomes of this partnership is the debut of the Arduino Uno Q, a new single-board computer featuring a dual-processor setup. At its core lies Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QRB2210 chip, capable of running a full Linux Debian environment alongside a dedicated real-time microcontroller. The design aims to enable reactive AI-based applications for use in sectors such as smart homes, robotics, and industrial machinery.
Unlike traditional boards that focus purely on prototyping, the Uno Q is built to handle edge intelligence. It retains full compatibility with the Arduino IDE and existing Uno modules, allowing developers to build upon familiar foundations while scaling toward more complex AI deployments.
Supporting this leap forward is the newly introduced Arduino App Lab — an open-source platform that unites development across Real-time OS, Linux, Python, and AI frameworks. This environment simplifies how developers move from concept to functional deployment, offering tools to quickly experiment and iterate.
App Lab is deeply integrated with Edge Impulse, a system that streamlines AI model training using live data. This setup helps refine models for diverse use cases such as anomaly detection, environmental sound classification, person recognition, and keyword activation. The combined capabilities make it easier for creators to push ideas from experimentation to production with fewer barriers.
By merging Arduino’s community-driven ethos with Qualcomm’s computing muscle, both companies are signaling a clear message: accessible AI hardware is about to grow more powerful and versatile. The acquisition marks a decisive step toward embedding intelligence across every level of connected technology — from personal projects to industrial solutions that learn and adapt in real time.