Silver Lake Co-Invests in Chipmaker and Joins TikTok Consortium

Lead: Silver Lake teamed up with Abu Dhabi’s MGX to acquire a controlling stake in programmable-chip maker Altera, and joined an investor group to secure 80% of TikTok’s U.S. operations, both deals announced on September 16, 2025.

Nut Graf: These moves underscore Silver Lake’s push into high-growth technology assets, strengthening its footprint in semiconductors and social-media platforms amid global competition for AI and digital infrastructure.

Altera Acquisition

Silver Lake and MGX completed their joint acquisition of a 51% stake in California-based Altera from Intel, valuing the division at roughly $8.75 billion.
MGX’s investment amount wasn’t disclosed; Intel retains a 49% share after closing on September 12.
Altera’s reprogrammable semiconductors serve data centers, industrial robotics and telecoms, positioning the business for next-generation AI applications.

TikTok U.S. Consortium

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Silver Lake joined Oracle and Andreessen Horowitz in an investor consortium that will control 80% of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
The deal would require existing U.S. users to migrate to a new, consortium-owned version of the app, addressing national security concerns over foreign ownership.

Strategic Implications

Silver Lake’s partnerships highlight:

Sector diversification: Expanding beyond software buyouts into core hardware (semiconductors) and consumer platforms (social media).
AI era positioning: Securing assets critical for AI deployment in cloud, telecom and device-level applications.
Geopolitical alignment: Collaborating with U.S. and UAE investors to navigate regulatory environments and national security considerations.

What’s Next

Altera under Silver Lake and MGX will integrate with AI-focused ventures, with Omar Alismail of MGX leading semiconductor investments.
The TikTok consortium faces pending U.S. regulatory approvals and must implement user-migration and data-security measures before launch.