Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) is set to acquire Rivos, a California-based semiconductor startup specializing in high-performance RISC-V processors, as part of its strategy to strengthen its in-house AI chip development and reduce reliance on Nvidia hardware, according to multiple reports.

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Santa Clara, Rivos focuses on designing scalable system-on-chip (SoC) architectures based on the open-source RISC-V standard. The company develops full-stack AI computing platforms integrating RISC-V server-class CPUs, GPGPUs, unified HBM3e and DDR5 memory, and supporting software stacks tailored for next-generation data center AI training, inference, and agentic AI workloads.

Meta Vice President of Engineering Yee Jiun Song confirmed the planned acquisition, saying Rivos brings "deep expertise in building full-stack AI systems" that will accelerate Meta's vision for scalable computing. He added that Rivos' technology will help advance the Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) program—the company's custom AI accelerator family designed to cut costs and optimize energy efficiency for large-scale AI operations.

Rivos, which previously raised $250 million in Series A.3 funding in April 2024, was reportedly seeking additional financing this year at a valuation exceeding $2 billion. Its investors include Dell, BlackRock, TSMC, Intel, and MediaTek, as well as Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan's venture firm Walden International. The startup now employs more than 450 people and is developing an AI inference GPU expected to launch in 2026.

Meta declined to disclose the transaction value, while Rivos has not publicly commented. Industry insiders told Reuters that Meta has long been one of Rivos' key customers and had been in talks with the company for several months before reaching a deal.

A Meta spokesperson said the company's "custom silicon work is progressing quickly, and this will further accelerate our efforts." Meta has been investing heavily in AI infrastructure, including the development of in-house AI chips, to reduce dependence on Nvidia GPUs and mitigate rising hardware costs.

The acquisition highlights Meta's deepening commitment to hardware innovation and its ambition to establish a stronger foothold in AI semiconductor development—an increasingly strategic frontier among global tech giants.