Ambiq designs ultra-low-power semiconductors (Apollo SoC family, SPOT technology) that power wearables, hearables, and edge-AI devices at a fraction of typical power draw.
Qualcomm designs and licenses semiconductors and wireless technology, best known for Snapdragon mobile chips and foundational CDMA/5G patents.
The Verdict: Ambiq Micro vs Qualcomm
Ambiq and Qualcomm are not peers in size, so the useful comparison is focus. Ambiq makes ultra-low-power chips for battery-powered edge AI devices such as wearables and sensors, and says its designs use two to five times less power than traditional chips. Qualcomm is a diversified chipmaker with $43.1 billion of fiscal 2026 revenue. Ambiq's 2025 net sales were $72.5 million, about 1/600th of that, but its Q2 2026 net sales rose about 90%.
By market value the gap is about 190 times: roughly $0.93 billion for Ambiq against $177 billion for Qualcomm on Nov 6, 2026, per companiesmarketcap.com. Ambiq's stock moves sharply day to day, so treat its figure as a snapshot.
Where they compete
In chips for small, power-limited devices. Qualcomm's IoT segment brought in $7.1 billion in fiscal 2026, up 8%, and it bought Arduino, the Italian maker of microcontroller boards, in October 2025, per Reuters. That moves it closer to the small-device developers Ambiq sells to. Ambiq's whole business sits at that end of the market. It describes itself as a provider of "ultra-low power semiconductor solutions designed to address the significant power consumption challenges of general purpose and AI compute, especially at the edge," and says its products power over 290 million devices.
Where they differ
Scale and profit. Qualcomm's IoT segment alone is about 98 times Ambiq's 2025 net sales. Qualcomm earned $11.3 billion of non-GAAP net income in fiscal 2026. Ambiq lost $36.5 million in 2025, down from a $39.7 million loss in 2024, and raised about $168 million in net proceeds in an upsized June 2026 public offering.
Momentum. Ambiq's 2025 net sales slipped to $72.5 million from $76.1 million after it deliberately moved away from low-margin Mainland China customers, who fell from 50% of net sales in 2024 to 9% in 2025. Then demand turned. Q2 2026 net sales were $33.9 million, up about 90% year over year, and CEO Fumihide Esaka said Ambiq is "on pace to more than double net sales in the second half of 2026 compared to last year" despite supply constraints. Qualcomm's revenue fell 3% in fiscal 2026, mainly because handset revenue dropped 13%.
Concentration. Ambiq's top five end customers accounted for 91% of 2025 net sales, and its largest single customer for about 36%. One lost design win would show up immediately. Qualcomm's biggest exposures are Apple and Samsung, each 10% or more of revenue.
Who should watch which
Watch Ambiq if you want a small, fast-growing pure play on battery-powered edge AI and can accept losses, heavy customer concentration, and a volatile stock.
Watch Qualcomm if you want edge and IoT exposure inside a profitable chipmaker, where IoT is one segment next to handsets, automotive, and patent licensing.
What changed since the IPO
Ambiq listed on the New York Stock Exchange on July 31, 2025, selling 4 million shares at $24.00 for $96 million gross. Since then it has cut its China exposure, added AI software tools for its Apollo chips, raised about $168 million more, and announced a dual listing on the Singapore Exchange under the ticker AMQ. Its Q3 2026 guidance of $36.0 million to $37.0 million in net sales would be its sixth consecutive quarter of sequential growth. That is still tiny next to Qualcomm, whose Q1 fiscal 2027 guidance is $10.4 billion to $11.2 billion, but it is a different company from the one that listed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ambiq Micro a competitor to Qualcomm?
Only in one corner of the market. Both sell chips for battery-powered devices, but Ambiq is built entirely around ultra-low power and says its chips use two to five times less power than traditional designs. Qualcomm's IoT segment, at $7.1 billion of fiscal 2026 revenue, is about 98 times Ambiq's total 2025 net sales of $72.5 million.
How big is Ambiq Micro compared with Qualcomm?
Ambiq's 2025 net sales were $72.5 million, against Qualcomm's $43.1 billion for fiscal 2026, roughly a 600 times gap. On Nov 6, 2026, Ambiq's market value was about $0.93 billion against about $177 billion for Qualcomm, per companiesmarketcap.com.
When did Ambiq Micro go public, and on which exchange?
Ambiq listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMBQ on July 31, 2025. It sold 4 million shares at $24.00, raising $96 million gross. In 2026 it announced a dual listing on the Singapore Exchange under the ticker AMQ.
Is Ambiq Micro profitable?
Not yet. Ambiq reported a net loss of $36.5 million on $72.5 million of net sales in 2025. Sales are growing quickly in 2026: Q2 net sales rose about 90% year over year to $33.9 million, and the company guided Q3 to $36.0 million to $37.0 million.
Sources
- Ambiq Micro 2025 annual report (Form 10-K)
- Ambiq Micro IPO prospectus (Form 424B4, Jul 29, 2025)
- Ambiq Micro Q2 2026 results (SEC exhibit 99.1, Aug 11, 2026)
- Qualcomm Q4 and fiscal 2026 results (SEC 8-K exhibit 99.1)
- Qualcomm fiscal 2026 annual report (Form 10-K)
- Qualcomm bought Arduino in Oct 2025 (Wikipedia, citing Reuters, Oct 7, 2025)
- Ambiq Micro market cap (companiesmarketcap.com, Nov 6, 2026)
- Qualcomm market cap (companiesmarketcap.com, Nov 6, 2026)
Data from Value Add Pulse coverage and company research — see the full threads for Ambiq Micro and Qualcomm.