Qualcomm announced on October 7 2025 that it will acquire Arduino, the Italian open-source hardware company whose development boards have become foundational tools for the maker community. The acquisition brings Arduino’s 33 million users under the umbrella of a chipmaker whose relationship with open source has historically been complex.
While Qualcomm states Arduino will operate as an independent subsidiary and continue supporting chips from various manufacturers, the move raises questions among developers familiar with Qualcomm’s track record. Maker and hardware developer Jeff Geerling expressed uncertainty about trusting Qualcomm as stewards of the Arduino brand and community, noting concerns about long-term Linux support and whether the company will maintain its commitment to educational and maker markets versus more lucrative industrial applications.
The timing coincides with documented shifts in Arduino’s open source priorities. Arduino’s role of “Head of Maker Business, Open Source & Community” appears to no longer exist at the company following its $54 million funding round, replaced by a Chief Product Officer position. The acquisition represents a strategic shift, with control of a European open-source platform moving to a US tech corporation.
Qualcomm’s debut Arduino product, the UNO Q, features the company’s Dragonwing QRB2210 processor alongside a separate microcontroller. Questions remain about whether independent developers will be able to source Dragonwing chips for their own designs, as Qualcomm typically requires partnership agreements and bulk orders. The company has made strides in upstream Linux support through partnerships with Linaro, though its history includes proprietary drivers and limited documentation for some hardware.
Arduino emphasizes that its mission to facilitate learning and innovation will continue, and that support for chips from other vendors remains part of their commitment. Whether these assurances hold as commercial pressures mount remains to be seen. The maker community, which built Arduino into what it is today, will be watching closely.