Qualcomm to acquire Arduino, unveils brand new Uno Q board
Qualcomm announced that it will acquire Arduino, and alongside the deal, unveiled the Arduino UNO Q. This $44 board computer pairs a Qualcomm CPU with a real-time microcontroller. Arduino states that the brand, open-source approach, and multi-vendor chip support will remain unchanged.
On October 7, 2025, Qualcomm announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire Arduino, the Italian open-source hardware platform used by a community of over 33 million active users, which “will gain access to Qualcomm Technologies’ powerful technology stack and global reach”.
However, financial terms were not disclosed. Both companies state Arduino will keep its name, tools, and mission, and will continue to support chips from multiple suppliers. The transaction is pending regulatory approval.
Arduino UNO Q
Alongside the announcement, Arduino introduced the UNO Q. The board combines a quad-core Cortex-A53 Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 CPU running Debian Linux with a real-time STM32U585 microcontroller. The base model features 2 GB LPDDR4 and 16 GB eMMC, as well as Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Additionally, The PCB ships with the new Arduino App Lab environment, which enables developers to combine Python apps, Arduino sketches, and lightweight AI models. The price starts at $44, with shipping available from October 24.
In short, Arduino gains Qualcomm’s resource and ecosystem reach, while Qualcomm gets a direct path into a massive DIY user base. However, the reaction of the Arduino user base is mixed for now, primarily due to the platform’s open-source nature, and partly due to the AI angle of the deal.
Qualcomm designs Snapdragon processors and platforms for smartphones, PCs, VR headsets, and other devices. For gaming, Qualcomm offers the Snapdragon Elite Gaming feature set and purpose-built chips like the Snapdragon G3x, which are used in various Android handhelds (Razer Edge, Logitech G Cloud).
Moreover, Meta’s Quest 3 runs on Qualcomm’s XR2 Gen 2 platform. Tying Arduino’s creator base to Qualcomm’s hardware strengthens its reach from mobile and VR into hobbyist controllers, DIY handheld devices, and, as seen in the announcement, cutting-edge AI projects.
Arduino is an open-source hardware and software company/platform for rapid prototyping, used in education, hobby projects, and industry, with a vast, active, and versatile community.
For gaming, this ecosystem underpins a significant share of DIY controllers and other peripherals, as many boards can present themselves as standard USB HID devices (gamepads and keyboards) and are supported by extensive community guides and libraries.