University of Toronto's FPGA programming platform developer LegUp Computing has been acquired in a deal that allowed Intel Capital to exit.
LegUp Computing, a Canada-based gate array accelerator technology spinout of University of Toronto, has been acquired by chip microcontroller supplier Microchip Technology for an undisclosed sum.
Founded in 2015, LegUp offers a cloud-based tool for automatically compiling software code to operate flexible computing circuits known as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
Unlike traditional fixed semiconductors, FPGAs contain adjustable logic gates that enable them to be reconfigured for specific tasks.
Developers can often access FPGAs via cloud computing servers but they typically need specialised expertise to adjust the hardware-based switches.
LegUp’s tool will now be offered to software engineers building on Microchip’s FPGA and system-on-a-chip development frameworks in an attempt to ease the learning curve.
The product is already being distributed to Microchip’s early-access customers, with a wider roll-out anticipated in the first half of next year.
LegUp closed a seed round of undisclosed size in early 2018 that was led by Intel Capital, a corporate venturing division of semiconductor manufacturer Intel.
The investment was part of a strategic drive by the corporate to harness emerging technology through university collaborations.
LegUp had already received early-stage capital at an undisclosed date through UTest, an accelerator partnership of University of Toronto and multi-institution commercialisation firm Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners.
The founding team includes Jason Anderson, professor of electrical and computer engineering at University of Toronto, together with former PhD researchers Andrew Canis, who served as chief executive, Jongsok Choi and Ruolong Lian.
