Qualcomm Acquires Israeli Cybersecurity Firm SAM Seamless Network for Over $100 Million

Qualcomm, led by CEO Cristiano Amon, has acquired the Israeli cybersecurity company SAM Seamless Network for more than $100 million. Founded by entrepreneur Sivan Rauscher-Gannot and Target Global partner Shmulik Hefetz, SAM had previously raised around $30 million, with its last funding round in 2021 valuing the company at approximately $60 million. Early investors include Bloomberg Fund, Mindset Ventures, and Spark Labs Group, while later investors such as Intel Capital, Verizon Ventures, and BlackBerry invested at a valuation of $86 million.

This acquisition aligns with Qualcomm's strategy announced by Amon at the recent Computex conference in Taipei, focusing on developing processors that enable edge devices, especially personal and home devices, to handle more AI computations locally. This reduces the load on data center servers and accelerates processing for end users. To support increased local data processing, Qualcomm aims to strengthen cybersecurity layers to prevent disruptions and breaches.

SAM provides cybersecurity solutions protecting communication networks at the customer edge, near homes or between telecom providers and residences. The company serves over 15 million networks and monitors half a billion devices worldwide, working with major telecom operators such as AT&T, Verizon, Bezeq in Israel, and European providers like Telenet in Belgium and Virgin Media in the UK. SAM's technology has proven effective during geopolitical crises, offering real-time protection and enabling service providers to detect advanced threats proactively.

The company employs about 80 people across Israel and the United States. Qualcomm's acquisition continues Amon's pattern of relatively modest-scale purchases, sometimes following extended negotiations, as seen in previous deals like the acquisition of Israeli company Autotalks. Qualcomm has not yet commented on the acquisition.

Summary: Qualcomm acquires Israeli cybersecurity firm SAM Seamless Network for over $100 million, enhancing its edge AI processing and security capabilities. SAM protects millions of networks worldwide and supports major telecom operators. The deal fits Qualcomm's strategy to boost local AI computation and cybersecurity on edge devices.