Entropic Communications, a US-listed semiconductor manufacturer backed by local phone operator Verizon among others, has agreed to buy part of Trident Microsystems’ set-top business for $65m.
Nasdaq-listed Trident filed for bankruptcy protection last month and the deal is subject to approval by the bankruptcy court.
In September, Entropic led a $26.5m round of series D financing for US-based fabless semiconductor peer Zenverge as its first reported corporate venturing deal. Electronics industry newspaper EE Times reports Entropic’s investment to be $10m.
By Entropic’s own series C round in January 2006, two years before its flotation, the company had raised $78m from other strategic investors Cisco, Comcast Interactive Capital, Dow Employees’ Pension Plan, EchoStar, Intel, Motorola, Panasonic, Time Warner and YAS Broadband Ventures and venture capital firms Focus Ventures, Anthem Venture Partners, CMEA Ventures, Mission Ventures and Redpoint Ventures.