Wise Road Capital focuses on the semiconductor industry and other emerging high-tech industries, and the agreement between the two is intended to create a joint venture to advance the development and sales of environmental, flow and pressure sensor solutions for the global market.
Under the agreement, employees, IP, sensor products and solutions and related customers will transfer from ams to the joint venture, while Wise Road Capital will provide joint venture guidance, market knowledge and strength in channel and customer relationships, especially in China.
ams will transfer its current environmental sensor solution portfolio covering air quality, relative humidity and temperature sensing, which are used in automotive, smart building and air quality monitoring infrastructure applications.
In addition, the ams ultrasound-based flow sensor solutions, where ams holds a market leadership position in smart metering solutions for utilities, will become part of the new company portfolio.
To round out the offering, the ams pressure sensor development will also become part of the product portfolio.
Wise Road Capital in turn will advise the new company, opening up its extensive network and resources from well-known global industry partners, covering Automotive, Telecommunication, Industrial Control and Home Appliance companies.
The new company, which will be headquartered in the Netherlands, will be led by Stefan Raible who will serve as Managing Director. Stefan is currently General Manager of the Environmental Sensors business at ams and was the former CEO of Applied Sensors, which was acquired by ams in 2014. The agreement encompasses an investment valuing the joint venture business at approximately $120 million and is expected to conclude Autumn 2019.