Microchip acquired Atmel in 2016. Atmel is no longer a separate company; Microchip now owns its product lines and continues to manufacture products based on Atmel technology. The Atmel name still appears on familiar chip families such as ATmega and ATtiny, while the former Atmel Studio development environment was replaced by Microchip Studio.
How Atmel became part of Microchip
Microchip announced a definitive agreement to acquire Atmel on January 19, 2016, and completed the acquisition on April 4, 2016. Microchip’s filing for the completed transaction says Atmel became a wholly owned subsidiary. Microchip’s current FAQ says Atmel is not a separate company and that its products, technologies, and branding are under Microchip.
The announcement described proposed terms of $8.15 per Atmel share and an approximate total equity value of $3.56 billion. Microchip’s later annual filing reported approximately $3.47 billion in total consideration for the completed transaction. Those figures come from different documents and stages of the deal; they are historical transaction figures, not present-day valuations. Microchip’s Atmel FAQ · Microchip’s annual filing · Microchip’s January 2016 announcement
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When was the acquisition announced? | January 19, 2016, according to Microchip’s announcement. |
| When did it close? | April 4, 2016, according to Microchip’s annual filing. |
| What happened to Atmel as a company? | It became a wholly owned Microchip subsidiary; Atmel is no longer a separate company, says Microchip’s FAQ. |
What Microchip acquired—and what remains familiar
Atmel’s portfolio included microcontrollers as well as capacitive-touch, advanced-logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile-memory, and radio-frequency products. Microchip brought those capabilities into its broader portfolio. The most visible Atmel lineage for many developers is in microcontrollers: Microchip’s current product overview lists 8-bit AVR, 32-bit AVR, RISC-V-core-based MCUs, Arm Cortex-M-based SAM MCUs, and 8051 MCUs, including ATmega, ATtiny, and ATxmega families.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Some legacy devices have been succeeded by newer families, but that does not mean every former Atmel product has been discontinued. Lifecycle and support status can vary by exact part number. If you are choosing a chip for a new design or maintaining an existing one, check that device’s current Microchip product page, datasheet, tool support, and lifecycle information rather than relying on the family name alone. Microchip’s Atmel product overview identifies current families and legacy devices.
What happened to Atmel Studio?
Atmel Studio was an integrated development environment for AVR and Arm-based SAM microcontrollers. Microchip says it was replaced by Microchip Studio, which supports development and debugging for AVR and SAM devices. The name change reflects the new corporate home; it does not mean the AVR and SAM product lineages disappeared. For a specific device, confirm compatibility with the relevant IDE, compiler, programmer, and debugger in the device documentation and Microchip’s Atmel FAQ.
Rank #2
- Package: PDIP-40
- Maximum Speed: 16 MHz
- Device Core: AVR
- Instruction Set Architecture: RISC
- Maximum Clock Frequency: 16MHz
What happened to Atmel stock?
Atmel stock was delisted as part of the acquisition. Microchip’s filing reports that Atmel shareholders received $7.00 in cash plus $1.15 worth of Microchip shares for each Atmel share. These are the merger’s historical terms, not a current quote or an indication of what an Atmel share is worth today. Microchip’s annual filing describes the consideration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are Atmel and Microchip the same company?
No. Atmel and Microchip were separate semiconductor companies before the acquisition. Microchip is the continuing parent company and brand; Atmel is now part of its portfolio, and “Atmel” remains useful as a label for the origin of products and technologies such as AVR and SAM. When Microchip announced the deal, its then-president and CEO Steve Sanghi described the intended combination as creating “a microcontroller, analog and Internet of Things (IoT) powerhouse.” That was the company’s rationale for the acquisition, not an independent assessment of its results.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
- PROGRAMMING COMPATIBILITY: Compatible with both SAM and AVR microcontroller families, providing versatile debugging and programming capabilities
- PROFESSIONAL TOOL: Advanced debugger and programming tool from Microchip Technology (ATMEL) for professional embedded development
- DEVELOPMENT FEATURES: Supports on-chip debugging, programming, and boundary scan testing for target microcontrollers
- INTERFACE OPTIONS: Multiple programming interfaces including JTAG, SWD, PDI, TPI, and aWire for broad device support
- CONNECTIVITY: USB-powered device with standard headers for connecting to target boards and development kits
Rank #3
- 8 Bit Data Bus
- 20 MHz Max Clock Frequency
- 8 KB Program Memory Size
- 2.7 V to 5.5 V Operating Supply Voltage
- 14 Pins - 12 Usable I/O Pins
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
