Palo Alto – July 26, 2026 – Woodside Capital Partners (WCP) is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive financial advisor to minds.ai, a pioneer in AI-driven solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, in its acquisition by Applied Materials, a global leader in materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor industry.
“This acquisition is a harbinger of how AI is going to accelerate semiconductor manufacturing to even greater heights, producing more powerful chips in a more efficient way, thus creating even more powerful AI systems that are going to transform the way we live”, said Rajesh Shakkarwar, WCP Managing Director.
The transaction underscores the accelerating convergence of software, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor manufacturing. As AI becomes increasingly integral to advanced manufacturing, strategic transactions such as this highlight the growing demand for technologies that enable greater automation, improved process optimization, and enhanced operational performance across the semiconductor ecosystem.
Capital intensity in semiconductor fabs and unprecedented demand are driving the need for greater throughput and operational efficiency. minds.ai has an advanced multi-agent reinforcement learning software that helps semiconductor manufacturers optimize highly complex manufacturing processes and improve overall fab performance. Originally founded to address manufacturing bottlenecks that exceed the limits of traditional engineering approaches, minds.ai’s technology enables multiple reinforcement learning agents to continuously enhance production performance.
We are proud to have advised minds.ai on this strategic transaction and congratulate the teams at minds.ai and Applied Materials on reaching this significant milestone.
Woodside Capital Partners is a leading corporate finance advisory firm for tech companies in M&A and financings in the $30M –$500M enterprise value segment. The firm has worked with extraordinary entrepreneurs and investors since 2001, providing ultra-personalized service to its clients. Our team has global vision and reach, and has completed hundreds of successful engagements. We have deep industry knowledge and extensive domain and transaction experience in these and other sectors: Artificial Intelligence, CyberSecurity, HR Tech, Digital Advertising and Marketing, Autonomous Vehicles, ADAS, Computer Vision, Aerospace and Defense, CloudTech, Enterprise Software, IT Services, Information Security, FinTech, Internet of Things, Networking / Infrastructure, Robotics, Semiconductors, Quantum, Energy Storage, Digital Health & Virtual Care, Diagnostic, Medical Devices & Precision Medicine, Healthcare IT & Data Analytics Platforms, AI & Automation in Clinical Decision Support, Revenue Cycle Management & Financial Ops, Behavioral & Mental Health Tech, Value-Based Care & Preventive/Wellness Platforms, Healthcare Infrastructure & Cybersecurity. Woodside Capital Partners is a specialist in cross-border transactions, and has extensive relationships among venture capitalists, private equity investors, and corporate executives from Global 1000 companies. More about Woodside Capital Partners here.
NOTICE: No information herein is a recommendation that any individual should purchase or sell any particular security in any amount or at all and is not a solicitation of any offer to purchase or sell from or to any individual.
Questions? Contact Rajesh Shakkarwar, Managing Director, Woodside Capital Partners at rajesh.shakkarwar@woodsidecap.com.