Ceva

Corporate brand

Ceva is a semiconductor intellectual-property company that licenses signal-processing, wireless-connectivity, sensor-fusion, and edge-AI technologies for smart connected devices.

Last updated August 31, 2026

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Overview

Ceva, Inc. is a semiconductor intellectual-property and software company whose business is based primarily on developing and licensing processor architectures, connectivity platforms, software, and supporting development tools rather than manufacturing finished chips. The company supplies technologies that semiconductor manufacturers and device makers can integrate into system-on-chip designs for connected and intelligent products. The present company was formed in November 2002 through the combination of the digital-signal-processing intellectual-property business of DSP Group and Parthus Technologies plc. Parthus originated in Dublin, Ireland, where it had been founded in 1993 as Silicon Systems by Brian Long and Peter McManamon. DSP Group had separately established a United States entity originally called DSP Cores and later Corage. The combined business initially operated under the name ParthusCeva and planned listings in the United States and United Kingdom. In December 2003, it removed “Parthus” from its corporate name and adopted the Ceva name and CEVA stock symbol. Ceva’s historical core has been digital signal-processing IP for multimedia, wireless communications, and baseband applications. Its licensing model allows customers to incorporate configurable processor cores and related software into their own silicon, helping them shorten development cycles and tailor chips to particular power, performance, and cost requirements. The company has described its DSP technology as having a substantial position in the semiconductor IP market, including a claimed leading share in DSP IP during the early 2010s. Over time, Ceva broadened beyond conventional DSP cores. Its portfolio came to include computer-vision processors, imaging software, deep-learning accelerators, sensor-fusion technologies, and wireless connectivity IP. Connectivity offerings cover technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ultra-wideband, 5G, and narrowband IoT. Its edge-AI portfolio includes the NeuPro family of neural-network processors and the Ceva-XM computer-vision architecture, intended for use in products ranging from cameras and smartphones to vehicles, industrial equipment, medical devices, surveillance systems, and robots. Acquisitions have supported this expansion. In 2014, Ceva purchased RivieraWaves, a French wireless-connectivity IP company. In 2019, it acquired the sensor-fusion business of Hillcrest Labs from InterDigital and entered an exclusive strategic licensing arrangement with Immervision covering image-processing and sensor-fusion technologies for wide-angle cameras. In 2021, Ceva acquired semiconductor design company Intrinsix. Cadence later acquired Intrinsix from Ceva in 2023. Ceva operates in a business-to-business technology market. Its customers and partners generally use its licensable designs inside custom or merchant semiconductor products, so the Ceva name may be less visible to consumers than the brands of finished-device manufacturers. The company’s strategic positioning is centered on low-power processing and connectivity for the smart edge: devices that collect data, communicate wirelessly, and perform increasing amounts of AI or signal processing locally. In December 2023, Ceva introduced a refreshed brand identity reflecting its broader focus on intelligent and connected edge systems.

History

Ceva's origins combine two strands of semiconductor intellectual-property development. Parthus Technologies began in Dublin, Ireland, in 1993 under the name Silicon Systems. It was founded by Brian Long and Peter McManamon and later adopted the Parthus name. The company pursued a public offering in 2000 during the volatile period surrounding the collapse of the dot-com boom. Separately, DSP Group established a United States company called DSP Cores in 2001; that entity was subsequently renamed Corage and became associated with DSP Group's digital-signal-processing core activities. In April 2002, Parthus Technologies and DSP Group announced an agreement to combine their relevant businesses. The transaction was completed in November 2002, producing a new company known as ParthusCeva. The combined company planned to trade in the United States under the proposed PCVA symbol and in London under PCV. Its initial focus was the licensing of DSP cores and related technologies for multimedia, wireless communications, and baseband processing. In December 2003, the company simplified its identity by dropping “Parthus” and changing its stock symbol to CEVA. This rebranding marked the development of Ceva as a standalone semiconductor-IP company rather than a name associated with either predecessor. During the following decade, the company expanded its processor portfolio and promoted its position in DSP intellectual property. It also held an interest in GloNav, a Dublin-based company, before selling that stake to NXP Semiconductor in 2007. Ceva progressively extended its technology scope from signal-processing cores into wireless connectivity and intelligent sensing. In July 2014, it acquired RivieraWaves, a French private company specializing in wireless connectivity IP. This added capabilities relevant to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi products and strengthened Ceva's ability to license complete connectivity platforms for integration into system-on-chip designs. The company's next phase emphasized computer vision, sensor fusion, and artificial intelligence at the edge. Ceva developed vision DSP cores, neural-network toolkits, software libraries, hardware acceleration, and development ecosystems for computational photography and real-time vision. Its NeuPro family was designed as a scalable group of low-power AI processors for deep-learning workloads, while the Ceva-XM family addressed computer-vision processing. These technologies targeted embedded applications including mobile devices, cameras, surveillance, vehicles, industrial machines, robots, medical equipment, and IoT products. In July 2019, Ceva acquired the Hillcrest Labs sensor-fusion business from InterDigital. Hillcrest's technologies complemented Ceva's processor and connectivity portfolio by addressing the interpretation and combination of data from multiple sensors. During the same month, Ceva established a strategic partnership with Immervision and obtained exclusive licensing rights to patented image-processing and sensor-fusion technologies for wide-angle cameras. Ceva acquired Intrinsix, a semiconductor design company, on May 31, 2021, in a transaction reported at approximately $33 million. Intrinsix expanded Ceva's engineering and design-service capabilities, although Cadence acquired Intrinsix Corporation from Ceva on September 20, 2023. In December 2023, Ceva introduced a refreshed brand identity. The change reflected the company's broader positioning around connected intelligence, combining wireless communication, sensing, signal processing, and edge AI. Ceva remains a publicly traded NASDAQ company whose principal business is licensing semiconductor IP and associated software to customers across automotive, consumer, industrial, infrastructure, mobile, and computing markets.

2023
Intrinsix sold to Cadence and brand identity refreshed
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Cadence acquired Intrinsix from Ceva, and Ceva launched a new corporate brand identity in December.
2021
Intrinsix acquired
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Ceva acquired semiconductor design company Intrinsix.
2019
Hillcrest Labs business acquired and Immervision partnership established
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Ceva added Hillcrest's sensor-fusion business and secured exclusive licensing rights to selected Immervision technologies.
2014
RivieraWaves acquired
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Ceva acquired RivieraWaves to expand its wireless-connectivity IP portfolio.
2007
GloNav stake sold to NXP
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Ceva sold its stake in GloNav to NXP Semiconductor.
2003
The company adopted the Ceva name
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
ParthusCeva dropped “Parthus” from its name and changed its stock symbol to CEVA.
2002
ParthusCeva was created
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
The combination of Parthus Technologies and DSP Group's DSP IP business created the company that became Ceva.
2001
DSP Group established DSP Cores
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
DSP Group created a United States company originally called DSP Cores, later renamed Corage.
2000
Parthus Technologies completed an initial public offering
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Parthus Technologies went public during the period of intense technology-market activity preceding the dot-com downturn.
1993
Parthus predecessor founded in Dublin
[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Silicon Systems, later renamed Parthus Technologies, was founded in Dublin, Ireland.

Products and positioning

A semiconductor IP partner focused on low-power signal processing, wireless connectivity, computer vision, sensor fusion, and edge artificial intelligence for smart connected devices.

Digital signal processing IP
Ceva DSP cores
Ceva's DSP cores are licensable processor designs for handling signal-intensive workloads in communications, multimedia, imaging, and embedded systems. Customers can integrate configurable cores into their own system-on-chip products instead of developing a processor architecture internally. The cores are intended to balance computational performance, power consumption, and implementation flexibility across consumer, mobile, automotive, industrial, and IoT applications.
Edge artificial-intelligence processors
NeuPro
NeuPro is Ceva's family of licensable neural-network processors for on-device deep-learning workloads. The architecture is designed to scale across performance levels and support applications such as vision, speech, sensing, surveillance, automotive systems, robotics, medical equipment, smartphones, and industrial devices. Its purpose is to let products perform AI inference locally, reducing dependence on remote computing while addressing embedded power and memory constraints.
Computer-vision processors
Ceva-XM
Ceva-XM is a computer-vision processor family intended for computational photography, image analysis, and real-time vision workloads. It is supported by software libraries, development tools, and algorithm ecosystems that help semiconductor and device companies implement vision functions in cameras and other embedded products. The technology is aimed at low-cost and low-power designs where image processing must occur close to the sensor.
Wireless connectivity IP
RivieraWaves connectivity IP
The RivieraWaves portfolio provides licensable wireless connectivity technologies, particularly for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi implementations in system-on-chip products. Integrated connectivity IP can help manufacturers build wireless functions into consumer electronics, automotive systems, industrial equipment, and IoT devices while tailoring the overall chip design to their own requirements.
Wireless IoT connectivity
Ceva wireless IoT platforms
Ceva's wireless IoT platforms cover connectivity technologies including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ultra-wideband, 5G, and narrowband IoT. They are offered as IP and software components for integration into chips used in connected devices. The platforms are intended to support a range of bandwidth, range, location, power, and deployment requirements across consumer, industrial, automotive, infrastructure, and embedded IoT markets.
Sensor fusion and computer imaging
Sensor-fusion and imaging technologies
Ceva supplies sensor-fusion, imaging, and computational-photography technologies that combine data from multiple sensors or improve the interpretation of visual information. These capabilities are relevant to motion tracking, wide-angle cameras, augmented or spatial applications, automotive systems, robotics, mobile devices, and other products requiring context-aware perception. The portfolio was strengthened through the Hillcrest Labs acquisition and the Immervision licensing partnership.

Marketing campaigns

2023Ceva brand identity refresh
Global
Ceva introduced a new brand identity in December 2023 to reflect its evolution from a primarily DSP-focused IP company into a broader provider of wireless connectivity, sensing, computer vision, and edge-AI technologies.
Outcome. The refresh repositioned the corporate brand around intelligent and connected edge applications.
Source

Brand decisions

2023
Sell Intrinsix to CadenceM&A
Background
Ceva reassessed the role of its semiconductor design business within a company increasingly focused on licensable IP and platform technologies.
Action taken
Cadence acquired Intrinsix Corporation from Ceva on September 20, 2023.
Aftermath
Intrinsix left Ceva's portfolio and became part of Cadence.
Source
2023
Refresh the Ceva corporate identityStrategy
Background
Ceva's portfolio had broadened from DSP cores into connectivity, AI, computer vision, imaging, and sensor fusion.
Action taken
The company launched a new brand identity in December 2023.
Aftermath
The updated identity communicated a wider smart-edge technology positioning.
Source
2021
Acquire IntrinsixM&A
Background
Ceva pursued additional semiconductor design and engineering capabilities alongside its licensable IP portfolio.
Action taken
Ceva acquired Intrinsix on May 31, 2021.
Aftermath
Intrinsix became part of Ceva until Cadence acquired the business from Ceva in 2023.
Reported transaction value. Approximately $33 million (2021)
Source
2019
Acquire Hillcrest Labs sensor-fusion businessM&A
Background
Ceva was expanding its portfolio into sensing, motion interpretation, and intelligent edge-device functions.
Action taken
Ceva acquired the Hillcrest Labs sensor-fusion business from InterDigital.
Aftermath
The transaction added sensor-fusion technology to Ceva's processor and connectivity offerings.
Source
2019
Secure exclusive Immervision licensing rightsStrategy
Background
Wide-angle cameras and embedded visual perception were becoming important applications for edge processing and sensor fusion.
Action taken
Ceva entered a strategic partnership with Immervision and obtained exclusive licensing rights to specified patented image-processing and sensor-fusion technologies.
Aftermath
The arrangement expanded Ceva's imaging and wide-angle-camera technology offering.
Source
2014
Acquire RivieraWavesM&A
Background
Ceva sought to expand from DSP technology into a wider portfolio of wireless connectivity IP.
Action taken
Ceva acquired French private company RivieraWaves.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened Ceva's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity capabilities for system-on-chip customers.
Source
2007
Divest GloNav stake to NXP SemiconductorM&A
Background
Ceva held an interest in the Dublin-based GloNav business while concentrating on its semiconductor-IP activities.
Action taken
Ceva sold its stake in GloNav to NXP Semiconductor.
Aftermath
The sale generated a reported gain of $10.9 million and reduced Ceva's involvement in the asset.
Gain on sale. $10.9 million gain (2007)
Source
2002
Combine Parthus Technologies with DSP Group's DSP IP businessM&A
Background
Parthus Technologies and DSP Group each controlled digital-signal-processing technology businesses that could be combined into a larger licensable semiconductor-IP platform.
Action taken
The companies announced the agreement in April 2002 and completed the combination in November, creating ParthusCeva.
Aftermath
The combined company became the foundation of the modern Ceva business and initially pursued United States and United Kingdom listings.
Source

Recent events

2023
Cadence acquired Intrinsix from Ceva[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Cadence Design Systems acquired Intrinsix Corporation from Ceva, reversing Ceva's ownership of the design business acquired two years earlier.
2023
Ceva introduced a refreshed brand identity[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Campaign
The company launched a new brand identity in December as it presented itself as a broader provider of intelligent and connected edge technologies.
2023
Cadence acquires Intrinsix from Ceva[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Cadence Design Systems acquired Intrinsix Corporation from Ceva, reversing Ceva’s ownership of the semiconductor design business acquired in 2021.
2023
Ceva introduces a new brand identity[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Campaign
Ceva launched a revised corporate brand identity as it emphasized its broader portfolio of AI, sensing, wireless, and smart-edge technologies.
2021
Ceva acquired Intrinsix[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Ceva acquired semiconductor design company Intrinsix in a transaction reported at approximately $33 million.
2021
Ceva acquires Intrinsix[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Ceva acquired semiconductor design company Intrinsix in a transaction reported at approximately $33 million.
2019
Ceva acquired Hillcrest Labs' sensor-fusion business[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Ceva purchased the Hillcrest Labs sensor-fusion business from InterDigital, strengthening its position in motion sensing, embedded intelligence, and device interaction.
2019
Ceva entered an exclusive technology arrangement with Immervision[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Other
The companies established a strategic partnership giving Ceva exclusive licensing rights to Immervision patented image-processing and sensor-fusion technologies for wide-angle cameras.
2019
Ceva acquires Hillcrest Labs sensor-fusion business[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Ceva acquired the Hillcrest Labs sensor-fusion business from InterDigital, expanding its motion-processing and sensor-fusion capabilities.
2019
Ceva enters image-processing partnership with Immervision[1]Ceva (semiconductor company)en.wikipedia.org
Other
Ceva entered a strategic partnership with Immervision that gave Ceva exclusive licensing rights to specified patented image-processing and sensor-fusion technologies for wide-angle cameras.

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