Nvidia acquires networking startup Infabrica for $900M to lock down AI data center backbone
Sep 19, 2025
Key Points
- Nvidia acquires networking startup Infabrica for $900 million to control the full AI data center stack, from compute chips to interconnect infrastructure.
- CEO Roshan Sankar, architect of Broadcom's widely deployed Tomahawk switch line, joins Nvidia along with licensed networking technology as part of the deal.
- The acquisition signals Nvidia's push to own both compute and networking layers, defending against pure-play vendors like Broadcom and Cisco as AI workloads demand tighter hardware coupling.
Summary
Nvidia acquired Infabrica, a networking startup, for $900 million. The deal brings Roshan Sankar, Infabrica's CEO and former architect of Broadcom's Tomahawk switch line, to Nvidia along with licensed networking technology.
Nvidia is moving to control the full stack of AI data center infrastructure, not just GPUs. Sankar built one of the industry's most widely deployed data center switch lines. By acquiring both his expertise and Infabrica's networking IP, Nvidia gains capability in a critical layer previously dominated by pure-play vendors like Broadcom and Cisco.
This acquisition goes beyond hiring talent. Nvidia is securing licensed technology that embeds networking capability into its broader AI infrastructure strategy. As AI workloads demand tighter coupling between compute and network, controlling both layers creates competitive defensibility.