Accenture acquires Bengaluru-based chip design services firm Excelmax

IT consulting firm Accenture acquired Excelmax Technologies, a semiconductor design services provider based in Bangalore, on Monday. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition enhances Accenture’s growing silicon design and engineering capabilities, the company said in a press release.

Excelmax, based in Bangalore, offers custom silicon solutions for consumer devices, data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), and computational platforms that support edge AI deployments. They serve clients in the automotive, telecommunications, and high-tech industries.

According to Mahesh Zurale, the global lead of the Advanced Technology Centers Global Network at Accenture, "Accenture’s acquisition of Excelmax Technologies brings approximately 450 highly skilled silicon professionals to our Advanced Technology Centers in India. These professionals will strengthen our expertise in key areas such as emulation, automotive, physical design, analogue, logic design, and verification, expanding our ability to assist global clients in accelerating edge computing innovation."

The semiconductor market is experiencing increased demand for silicon design engineering due to the rise of data centres, AI, and edge computing. This demand is further fueled by consumers' growing interest in electronics, leading to new investments in chip design.

Karthik Narain, the group chief executive of technology at Accenture, said, “With the rapid evolution of new technologies like generative AI and the growth of connected products, there is a need for more intricate, specialized chips with enhanced performance and efficiency. Our acquisition of Excelmax enhances our expertise in all aspects of silicon design and development, allowing us to help clients drive innovation and growth.”

Founded in 2019, Excelmax provides comprehensive semiconductor solutions from high-level design to detailed physical layout ready for manufacturing, and full turnkey execution. Shekhar Patil, the founder & CEO of Excelmax Technologies,said, "Our focus has always been on developing top talent to deliver customized solutions for our global clients, helping them maintain a competitive edge. Joining Accenture allows us to stay at the forefront of innovation, offering new opportunities for our clients and team."

This acquisition follows Accenture's addition of XtremeEDA, a silicon design services firm based in Ottawa, Canada, in 2022. In a separate development, Accenture announced that it has completed the acquisition of Arηs Group, a technology services provider that is dedicated to supporting public and private sector transformation across Europe. This acquisition, which was initially announced on March 18, 2024, brings over 2,330 individuals to Accenture who specialize in software development, business intelligence, data science and AI, security management, cloud services, and mobile development.

Notably, with a focus on expanding into "new growth areas," the Dublin-based company has completed 28 acquisitions in 2024, more than double the number from the same period last year.