• Acuity advises Argon Design on its Sale to a Global Semiconductor Company

    DIVETITURE

Argon Design Limited (“Argon”), a world-leading semiconductor design consultancy with deep domain knowledge in video processing, has been acquired by a global semiconductor company.

Acuity’s Andy Lister and Matthew Byatt advised Argon on the transaction.

Argon has designed video IP blocks for tier 1 IP and silicon vendors, co-authored the AV1 and VP9 video coding specifications and sold multiple licenses of its proprietary IP which includes:

  • Argon Streams – comprehensive verification tools for HEVC, VP9 and AV1 decoders which allow users to verify that their decoders are compatible, error free and future proof; and
  • Argon360 – a leading hardware-based real-time video stitching IP core for use in SOCs, allowing devices to create high quality streamable 360O panoramic and spherical virtual reality videos.

Argon has a highly skilled and experienced team and is headquartered in Cambridge, UK.

Alan Scott, CEO of Argon Design, said:

“I really enjoyed working with Andy, Matthew and the Acuity team on this transaction. They presented our business in a compelling way to a global audience, helped us to negotiate a great deal for our employees and shareholders, and provided invaluable support during the completion and due diligence processes. Their particular experience with acquisitions in the semiconductor space, and their attention to detail at all stages, ensured that the whole sale process was a great success. We couldn’t have chosen a better partner.”

Andy Lister, Partner at Acuity Advisors, said:

“We thoroughly enjoyed working with Alan and Argon Design on this transaction. Argon’s engineers operate at the leading-edge of technology development in the video processing industry and we wish them every success under new ownership.”

Matthew Byatt, Managing Partner at Acuity Advisors, said:

“Argon is a truly world class business with an internationally recognised deep domain capability in video processing. We are pleased to have been able to facilitate this cross-border transaction, which is Acuity’s eighth transaction this year and our eighteenth in the sector. We wish the Argon team every success in the future.”

“I really enjoyed working with Andy, Matthew and the Acuity team on this transaction. They presented our business in a compelling way to a global audience, helped us to negotiate a great deal for our employees and shareholders, and provided invaluable support during the completion and due diligence processes. Their particular experience with acquisitions in the semiconductor space, and their attention to detail at all stages, ensured that the whole sale process was a great success. We couldn’t have chosen a better partner.”

ALAN SCOTT | CEO
Argon Design

Team Members

THOUGHTFUL SUB HEADLINE GOES HERE.

Andy has spent the last ten years advising entrepreneurs, shareholders and boards on business sales, acquisitions, equity fund raisings, valuations and strategic reviews. Andy has worked with clients in a number of technology-enabled sectors, including smart infrastructure, the internet of things, M2M communications and clean technology, and has also worked with a number of high growth manufacturing and industrial distribution businesses.

Andy has a particular interest in cross border M&A, has completed deals with North American, European, African and Asian counterparties, and brings practical emerging markets experience having worked as an M&A advisor in India from 2008 – 2010.

Andy is a prize-winning chartered accountant, qualifying in 2004 with KPMG in Leeds, before joining KPMG’s Corporate Finance team in London in 2005. Andy was a Director at KPMG before joining Acuity in July 2015.

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