Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market Report 2026

Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market Overview

• Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) market size has reached to $30.51 billion in 2025 • Expected to grow to $69.19 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7% • Growth Driver: Surge In Investments In Autonomous Vehicles Fueling The Growth Of The Market Due To Rising Demand For Artificial Intelligence-enabled Self-driving Technologies • Market Trend: Innovations In Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) Accelerate Performance Of Neural Processing Unit (NPU) IP For IoT Applications • Asia-Pacific was the largest region and fastest growing region.

What Is Covered Under Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market?

Neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) refers to reusable semiconductor design blocks that provide dedicated hardware acceleration for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) workloads in system-on-chip (SoC) designs. It optimizes neural network operations such as matrix multiplication, convolution, and tensor processing to deliver higher performance with lower power consumption and reduced silicon area. NPU IP enables efficient AI inference and, in some architectures, training, supporting scalable intelligent computing across a wide range of electronic devices. The main types of neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) include soft neural processing unit intellectual property and hard neural processing unit intellectual property. Soft neural processing unit intellectual property refers to configurable processor designs provided as synthesizable code that can be integrated and customized within semiconductor devices. These solutions include low power neural processing units, mid range neural processing units, and high performance neural processing units and are implemented using technology nodes of 7 nanometers and below, 10 nanometers to 14 nanometers, 16 nanometers to 28 nanometers, and above 28 nanometers. They are distributed through direct sales, distributors, value added resellers, online sales, and others and various applications involved are smartphones and consumer electronics, automotive, data centers, internet of things devices, industrial automation, healthcare, robotics, smart cameras and surveillance, and others.

What Is The Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market Growth Forecast?

The neural network processor (npu) intellectual property (ip) market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $69.19 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for higher neural processing performance, rising need for energy-efficient AI acceleration, growing demand for scalable NPU IP designs, increasing adoption of advanced semiconductor architectures, expanding need for flexible AI processing across diverse SoC platforms. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for reusable NPU IP blocks, rising adoption of configurable neural processing architectures, growing demand for optimized matrix multiplication acceleration, increasing focus on reduced silicon area requirements, rising demand for low-power neural network processing.

What Is The Driver Of The Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market?

The increasing investments in autonomous vehicles are expected to propel the growth of the neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) market going forward. Investments in autonomous vehicles refer to funding directed toward the development, production, and deployment of self-driving technologies to enhance autonomous mobility, safety, and transportation efficiency. Increasing investments in autonomous vehicles are rising due to advancements in artificial intelligence and sensor technologies, enabling safer and more reliable autonomous driving systems while accelerating commercial development and deployment. Increasing investments in autonomous vehicles continue to drive the demand for neural network processor intellectual property, as automotive chip developers require advanced artificial intelligence processing architectures to enable real-time perception, sensor fusion, and autonomous driving capabilities. For instance, in May 2024, according to the UK government, a UK-based government department, British autonomous driving company Wayve secured more than $1.05 billion in investment to develop the next generation of artificial intelligence-powered self-driving vehicles, representing the largest investment ever raised by a United Kingdom artificial intelligence company at that time. Therefore, the increasing investments in autonomous vehicles are driving the growth of the neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) industry.

Key Players In The Global Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market

Major companies operating in the neural network processor (npu) intellectual property (ip) market are Synopsys Inc., Arm Holdings plc, Cadence Design Systems Inc., Tenstorrent Inc., VeriSilicon Holdings Co. Ltd., CEVA Inc., Imagination Technologies Group plc, SiFive Inc., Arteris Inc., Andes Technology Corporation, Chips&Media Inc., Expedera Inc., BrainChip Holdings Ltd., Quadric Inc., SiliconArts Inc., Semidynamics Technology Services S.L., Akeana Inc., InCore Semiconductors Pvt. Ltd., Ainekko Inc.

Global Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market Trends and Insights

Major companies operating in the neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) market are focusing on developing advanced solutions, such as edge AI neural processing unit (NPU) intellectual property (IP), to improve artificial intelligence inference performance, enhance power efficiency, and accelerate the deployment of intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Edge AI NPU IP refers to licensable hardware accelerator designs that enable semiconductor manufacturers to integrate high-performance AI inference capabilities into system-on-chip (SoC) designs for edge computing applications. For instance, in April 2024, Arm Ltd., a UK-based semiconductor intellectual property company, launched the Ethos-U85 NPU and the Corstone-320 IoT Reference Design Platform. The Ethos-U85 delivers up to four times higher AI performance and improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor while supporting transformer and convolutional neural network workloads. It is integrated with the Corstone-320 platform and enables faster development of edge AI systems for vision, voice, and industrial IoT applications through optimized hardware, software, and virtual development tools.

What Are Latest Mergers And Acquisitions In The Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market?

In June 2026, GlobalFoundries, a US-based provider of semiconductor manufacturing, custom silicon solutions, and foundry services, acquired Synopsys' Processor IP Solutions business for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, GlobalFoundries aims to strengthen its physical AI portfolio by expanding its processor intellectual property capabilities, including RISC-V processors, digital signal processor IP, neural network processor (NPU) IP, and software development tools, enabling accelerated custom silicon development for AI, robotics, automotive, and industrial applications. Synopsys is a US-based developer of configurable neural processing unit (NPU) IP that enables semiconductor companies to integrate AI acceleration into custom SoCs.

What Defines the Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market?

The neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as maintenance and update services, optimization services, and training services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The neural network processor (NPU) intellectual property (IP) market also includes sales of chiplet packages, silicon prototypes, test chips, and semiconductor dies. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

How is Market Value Defined and Measured?

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified). The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

What Key Data and Analysis Are Included in the Neural Network Processor (NPU) Intellectual Property (IP) Market Report 2026?

The neural network processor (npu) intellectual property (ip) market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides market statistics, including industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the market share, detailed market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the neural network processor (npu) intellectual property (ip) industry. The market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the industry.