Cypress Semiconductor
An American semiconductor company whose embedded-processing, memory, connectivity and microcontroller businesses became part of Infineon Technologies in 2020.
Last updated October 19, 2026
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Overview
Cypress Semiconductor was an American semiconductor design and manufacturing company founded in 1982 by T. J. Rodgers and several former Advanced Micro Devices engineers and executives. The company was established with venture backing from firms including Sevin Rosen, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mayfield Fund and Sequoia Capital. Its early product focus was on high-speed CMOS static random-access memory, EEPROMs, programmable array logic and transistor-transistor logic devices. Cypress went public on Nasdaq in 1986, later moved its listing to the New York Stock Exchange, and returned to Nasdaq in 2009. Over time, Cypress expanded from memory and programmable logic into a broader embedded-systems supplier. Its portfolio included NOR flash memory, SRAM, F-RAM, microcontrollers, power-management integrated circuits, capacitive-touch controllers, USB connectivity products and wireless solutions. The PSoC family became one of its best-known platforms by combining configurable analog and digital functions, a processor core and development tools in a single device. Cypress also developed the Traveo automotive microcontroller family and supplied components for industrial, consumer, automotive and Internet-of-Things applications. The company pursued growth through acquisitions and strategic investments. In 2008, Cypress acquired Simtek, bringing non-volatile memory technology and the AgigA Tech business into its organization. Cypress also backed Deca Technologies, a semiconductor-packaging company, and participated in efforts to develop fan-out wafer-level packaging. In 2014 and 2015, Cypress merged with Spansion in an all-stock transaction that combined Cypress's embedded-processing capabilities with Spansion's flash-memory business. The enlarged company reported more than 7,000 United States and foreign patents at the time of the combination. Cypress attempted several additional semiconductor acquisitions during 2015. It sought Integrated Silicon Solution, but a competing consortium acquired ISSI, and it also pursued Atmel before Dialog Semiconductor and ultimately Microchip Technology prevailed. In 2016, Cypress purchased Broadcom's wireless Internet-of-Things business and related assets, adding Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee products, intellectual property, the WICED brand and its developer ecosystem. This transaction strengthened Cypress's position in connected embedded systems. The company experienced a significant governance dispute in 2017 involving former chief executive T. J. Rodgers, executive chairman Ray Bingham and questions about potential conflicts connected with Bingham's relationship to Canyon Bridge Capital Partners. A Delaware court granted Rodgers access to certain internal documents, Bingham left the board, and Rodgers's director nominees later won shareholder support. In June 2019, Infineon Technologies agreed to acquire Cypress for an all-cash offer of approximately $9.4 billion. The transaction closed on April 17, 2020, ending Cypress's independent existence as a publicly traded semiconductor company and making its technologies part of Infineon's broader automotive, industrial and embedded-solutions portfolio. Cypress remains an active product and technology brand within Infineon, although the standalone corporation is no longer independently listed.
History
Cypress Semiconductor was formed in 1982 by T. J. Rodgers and other former Advanced Micro Devices personnel, including Fritz Beyerlein, Fred Jenne, Steven H. Kaplan, R. Michael Starnes and Lowell Turriff. The new company received early venture support from Sevin Rosen, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mayfield Fund and Sequoia Capital. Its initial strategy centered on designing high-speed CMOS SRAMs, EEPROMs, programmable array logic and TTL devices. Cypress became a public company on Nasdaq in 1986. It later transferred its listing to the New York Stock Exchange and announced a return to Nasdaq in 2009. During its independent development, the company broadened its portfolio beyond memory and logic components. PSoC devices combined programmable analog and digital functions with a processor, allowing customers to consolidate system functions in embedded products. Cypress also developed microcontrollers, automotive processors, USB controllers, power-management products, capacitive-touch interfaces and wireless connectivity technologies. Acquisitions and investments were central to the company's expansion. Cypress acquired Simtek in 2008, bringing non-volatile memory technology and the AgigA Tech subsidiary into its organization. AgigA Tech focused on non-volatile random-access memory and was later sold to Unigen in 2021. Cypress also supported Deca Technologies, a semiconductor-packaging business, and participated in arrangements involving fan-out wafer-level packaging technology and manufacturing development. A major transformation occurred through the merger with Spansion. Announced in December 2014 and completed in 2015, the all-stock transaction combined two memory and embedded-semiconductor businesses. Cypress contributed programmable embedded systems and related technologies, while Spansion added flash-memory expertise. The enlarged company pursued additional acquisition opportunities, including unsuccessful bids for ISSI and Atmel. In 2016, Cypress bought Broadcom's wireless Internet-of-Things business and related assets. The transaction added Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee product lines, intellectual property, the WICED brand and a developer ecosystem. Cypress consequently strengthened its role as a supplier of connected embedded platforms for industrial, consumer and IoT applications. The company entered a period of governance conflict in 2017. Former CEO T. J. Rodgers sought access to internal records relating to possible business-conduct violations involving executive chairman Ray Bingham. The dispute also raised questions about Bingham's relationship with Canyon Bridge Capital Partners and whether overlapping acquisition interests created a conflict. Bingham resigned from the board, while Rodgers-backed nominees Daniel McCranie and Camillo Martino won election. In June 2019, Infineon Technologies announced an agreement to purchase Cypress. The transaction closed on April 17, 2020. Cypress thereby ceased to operate as an independent listed company and became part of Infineon. Its product families and technologies continued within Infineon's broader semiconductor portfolio, particularly in automotive, industrial and embedded applications. In 2021, the AgigA Tech business was sold to Unigen, illustrating that individual Cypress assets could continue to change ownership after the Infineon transaction.
- 2021
AgigA Tech is sold to Unigen
[1]The AgigA Tech non-volatile-memory business is divested to Unigen after the Infineon acquisition.
- 2020
Cypress becomes part of Infineon
[1]Infineon completes its acquisition of Cypress on April 17, ending Cypress's independent corporate and public-company history.
- 2017
Board dispute concludes with director changes
[1]Ray Bingham leaves the board and two nominees supported by former CEO T. J. Rodgers win shareholder approval.
- 2016
Broadcom wireless IoT acquisition closes
[1]Cypress adds Broadcom's wireless IoT products, related intellectual property and the WICED platform.
- 2015
Spansion merger closes
[1]Cypress completes its all-stock merger with Spansion, broadening its embedded-processing and flash-memory businesses.
- 2009
Return to Nasdaq announced
[1]Cypress announces that it will move its stock-market listing back to Nasdaq.
- 2008
Simtek acquisition adds AgigA Tech
[1]Cypress acquires Simtek and gains non-volatile-memory activities associated with AgigA Tech.
- 1986
Cypress goes public
[1]The company completes its initial public offering and begins trading on Nasdaq.
- 1982
Cypress is founded
[1]T. J. Rodgers and former Advanced Micro Devices colleagues establish Cypress Semiconductor with venture-capital backing.
Products and positioning
Embedded semiconductor solutions for automotive, industrial, consumer, connectivity and Internet-of-Things applications.
Programmable system-on-chip microcontrollers
PSoC
PSoC is Cypress's best-known embedded platform. It integrates a processor with configurable analog and digital blocks, memory, peripherals and development software. The architecture allows engineers to adapt one device to different sensing, control, interface and human-machine-interaction requirements, reducing the need for separate discrete components in many embedded designs.
Automotive microcontrollers
Traveo
Traveo is an automotive-oriented microcontroller family designed for embedded vehicle functions. The line extended Cypress's microcontroller capabilities into automotive control, interface and body-electronics applications and became part of Infineon's automotive embedded portfolio.
Non-volatile memory
Cypress NOR Flash
Cypress supplied NOR flash memory for code storage and embedded data applications. The memory business was strengthened by the Spansion merger and served automotive, industrial, communications and consumer systems requiring reliable non-volatile storage and fast access.
Memory
F-RAM and SRAM
Cypress offered ferroelectric RAM and static RAM products for applications requiring non-volatile behavior, fast access or persistent data retention. These products extended the company's historical focus on memory technologies beyond conventional flash.
Wireless connectivity platform · 2016
WICED
WICED was a wireless development brand and ecosystem obtained through Cypress's acquisition of Broadcom's IoT business. It supported connected-device development around Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and related wireless technologies, with associated software, tools and developer resources.
Connectivity controllers
USB connectivity solutions
Cypress developed USB controllers and related connectivity components for computing, consumer electronics, industrial equipment and embedded systems. These products formed part of the company's broader interface and peripheral portfolio.
Controversies
2020
IFT files patent infringement lawsuit against SMIC, Broadcom, Cypress Semiconductor, and DISH Network
Innovative Foundry Technologies (IFT) announced that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against SMIC, Broadcom, Cypress Semiconductor, and DISH Network in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. IFT accused the defendants of infringing four of its patents. The filing is an allegation by the plaintiff and is not presented as a court determination.
2017
Cypress board and conflict-of-interest dispute
Former CEO T. J. Rodgers challenged the handling of internal business-conduct questions involving executive chairman Ray Bingham. The dispute included concerns about Bingham's relationship with Canyon Bridge Capital Partners and possible overlap between investment and acquisition interests. A Delaware Chancery Court ordered Cypress to provide Rodgers access to certain internal documents. Bingham later left the board, and Rodgers-backed nominees won election.
Brand decisions
2019
Agree to Infineon acquisitionM&ABackground
Cypress's memory, microcontroller, connectivity and embedded businesses were attractive to Infineon's automotive and industrial semiconductor strategy.
Action taken
Cypress accepted Infineon's all-cash acquisition offer.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in 2020, making Cypress a subsidiary and ending its independent public-company history.
All-cash acquisition value. Approximately $9.4 billion; offer price approximately $23.85 per share (Announced June 2019; completed April 17, 2020)
2016
Acquire Broadcom's wireless IoT businessM&ABackground
Cypress wanted to expand its embedded portfolio into wireless Internet-of-Things connectivity.
Action taken
Cypress acquired Broadcom's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee IoT product lines, intellectual property, WICED brand and developer ecosystem.
Aftermath
The deal strengthened Cypress's offering for connected embedded products and increased its presence in wireless development platforms.
All-cash transaction value. $550 million (Announced April 2016; closed July 2016)
2015
Complete the Spansion mergerM&ABackground
Cypress sought to combine its embedded-processing and programmable-device business with Spansion's flash-memory capabilities.
Action taken
The companies completed an all-stock merger, creating a broader embedded and memory semiconductor supplier.
Aftermath
The combined company reported an expanded patent portfolio and pursued further growth in embedded processing, memory and connectivity.
Transaction value. Approximately $1.59 billion announced value; approximately $5 billion transaction value was reported at completion (Announced December 2014; completed 2015)
Recent events
Reported
Infineon completes acquisition of Cypress[4]
Infineon announced that it had completed its acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor, which was to formally become part of Infineon effective immediately.
Reported
Cypress launches IoT-AdvantEdge[5]
Cypress Semiconductor announced and launched IoT-AdvantEdge, a solution for IoT developers that combines connectivity chips, microcontrollers, software, development tools and support, and ecosystem partners.
Reported
China approves Infineon–Cypress merger[6]
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation granted antitrust approval for the merger of Infineon and Cypress Semiconductor.
Reported
CFIUS completes review of Infineon's Cypress acquisition[7]
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States completed its review of Infineon's acquisition of Cypress and found no national security issue. The article says the transaction still required approval from Chinese regulators.
Reported
Cypress announces new EZ-PD USB-C controllers[8]
Cypress Semiconductor announced the launch of its EZ-PD CCG6DF and CCG6SF USB-C controllers with power delivery functionality. The controllers were available as samples, with mass production planned to begin in the third quarter of 2020.
Reported
IFT files patent infringement lawsuit against SMIC, Broadcom, Cypress Semiconductor, and DISH Network[3]
Innovative Foundry Technologies (IFT) announced that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against SMIC, Broadcom, Cypress Semiconductor, and DISH Network in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. IFT accused the defendants of infringing four of its patents; the allegations are not presented as a court determination.
Sources10 sources
- 1Cypress Semiconductoren.wikipedia.org
- 2Cypress Semiconductor official websitecypress.com
- 3IFT files patent infringement lawsuit against SMIC, Broadcom, Cypress Semiconductor, and DISH Networkprnewswire.com
- 4英飞凌完成收购赛普拉斯tech.sina.com.cn
- 5赛普拉斯推出IoT-AdvantEdge解决方案smartcity.zol.com.cn
- 6中国批准英飞凌与赛普拉斯合并finance.sina.com.cn
- 7美国外国投资委员会完成对英飞凌收购赛普拉斯的审查finance.sina.com.cn
- 8赛普拉斯宣布推出新一代USB-C控制器smartcity.zol.com.cn
- 9英飞凌完成对赛普拉斯半导体(CY.US)并购，跻身TOP10半导体制造商finance.sina.com.cn
- 10英飛凌完成對賽普拉斯的收購 - 科技chinatimes.com
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