Cavium

The company's business model was centered on designing and developing high-performance, integrated semiconductor products, while outsourcing the manufacturing, assembly, and testing to third-party foundries. Cavium's revenue was generated through the sale of its processors and board-level products to a specialized client base, primarily providers of networking, wireless, storage, and consumer electronic equipment. Its main distribution channels included a direct sales and support team, as well as third-party distributors.

Cavium's product portfolio was extensive, featuring system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions that offered a range of secure and intelligent functionalities. Key product lines included the OCTEON multi-core processors, based on the MIPS architecture, and the ThunderX family of ARM-based server processors. These products were designed for use in enterprise, data center, and service provider equipment. The company's processors were known for enabling functionalities from 1Gbps to 100Gbps. A major milestone for Cavium was its initial public offering in May 2007. The company also grew through a series of strategic acquisitions, including MontaVista Software in 2009 and Xpliant, Inc. in 2014, which expanded its software and switching capabilities, respectively.

In a significant move for the semiconductor industry, Marvell Technology Group announced its agreement to acquire Cavium in November 2017 for approximately $6 billion. The acquisition was completed on July 6, 2018, creating a combined entity with a more comprehensive portfolio spanning storage, processing, networking, wireless connectivity, and security. The deal was intended to expand Marvell's addressable market and create a powerhouse in infrastructure solutions. Following the acquisition, Cavium's co-founder Syed Ali joined Marvell's Board of Directors.