Toumaz Establishes New Fabless Subsidiary

Toumaz Limited, a pioneer in low cost, ultra-low power wireless communications technology, has established a new fabless subsidiary, Toumaz Microsystems, which will be responsible for its growing wireless IC business. Toumaz has secured investment and support from Imagination Technologies Group plc as a strategic partner for this business.

In order to strengthen the focus of both the healthcare and semiconductor divisions of Toumaz, the board of Toumaz Ltd has decided to reorganize into two distinct businesses: Toumaz UK, covering health technology and solutions; and Toumaz Microsystems, covering integrated circuits for low power wireless communication. Both companies will be subsidiaries of Toumaz Ltd.

Toumaz Microsystems will focus on the design, development and sale of semiconductor chips and solutions for the growing and emerging embedded wireless connectivity market addressing the opportunities in a wide range of internet connected devices. These include home and enterprise automation, healthcare, smart power, security/monitoring systems, intelligent toys and other connectivity-centric cloud-enabled systems. Toumaz Microsystems will become Toumaz’s vehicle for all its wireless chip development and supply.

Toumaz will own 75% of Toumaz Microsystems and has moved its silicon integrated-circuit (IC) design team and related assets to the subsidiary. Imagination will invest a combination of cash, certain licences to Imagination’s hardware and software technologies, and supportive engineering resources, totalling £5m, in Toumaz Microsystems and will own 25% of the business.

Toumaz’s chip businesses, including Telran, the world’s lowest power radio system-on-chip; Xenif, the multimedia and internet connectivity chip; and the Group’s ultra-low power radio IP, and licenses of further IP, will be transferred to Toumaz Microsystems. The wireless semiconductor expertise of Toumaz coupled with the hardware and software IP from Imagination will enable Toumaz Microsystems to offer a world-leading comprehensive connectivity solution for low-power internet-connected applications.

The subsidiary will focus on developing a new multi-standard connectivity chip, an ultra-low power radio receiver and transmitter chip incorporating the new IEEE standard 802.15.6 (see notes to editors) and other relevant standards. It will be one of the first chips to be based on this new standard and will specifically target Body Area Networks and a range of low-power domestic consumer wireless sensor applications.

The Board of Toumaz Microsystems will consist of two members from Toumaz and one from Imagination. Professor Chris Toumazou, CEO of Toumaz, will become the chairman of Toumaz Microsystems.

“Establishing Toumaz Microsystems is the next logical step for us, building a subsidiary for our radio IC chip development with investment and support from a strategic partner, Imagination,” said Professor Toumazou. “The rest of the Group, operating now as Toumaz Health Technologies, can then be focused on the applications for our technology in the healthcare and leisure arena. This brings clarity to the business and ensures our all-important silicon devices have a strong roadmap, are delivered in a more structured manner, and have the outlet and backing needed, both for our own healthcare business and also to exploit the huge global opportunities of connected devices.”

“The extended collaboration with Toumaz, and our support of its newly established subsidiary Toumaz Microsystems, is part of an overall strategy of developing strategic partnerships and supporting the growth of ecosystems which will drive and exploit the opportunities of an increasingly internet-connected world,” Hossein Yassaie, Imagination Technologies chief executive, said.