Nvidia Buys Wireless Chipmaker Icera for $367 Million

Nvidia, the graphics chipmaker seeking to expand into processors for notebooks, tablets and services, said today it will spend $367 million to acquire Icera, a U.K.-based maker of baseband chips for 3G and 4G wireless handsets. Icera is backed by Accel Partners, Amadeus Capital Partners, Atlas Venture, Balderton Capital and DFJ Esprit. The firm raised $45 million last year, and secured a $12 million debt facility in January from Silicon Valley Bank. The deal is expected to help Nvidia compete better against Qualcomm.