ams Osram sells CMOS image sensor business to indie Semiconductor
Austrian-German semiconductor manufacturer ams Osram has agreed to divest its CMOS image sensor business to US-based indie Semiconductor for EUR 40 million, as part of a strategic refocusing toward AI photonics and augmented reality.
The transaction consists of EUR 35 million in cash and a EUR 5 million seller's note payable after two years, according to a press release from the company. Completion is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected within the next six months.
The divestiture is a direct consequence of the strategic pivot ams Osram announced in February 2026, when the company sold its non-optical sensor portfolio to Infineon and outlined its ambition to become a focused pure-play leader in digital photonics. The CMOS image sensor business, while described as a strong technology platform, falls outside the segments the company has identified as its primary growth vectors — optical interlinks for AI data centres and advanced display technologies for AR smart glasses.
Approximately EUR 20 million of the proceeds will be applied to deleverage ams OSRAM's balance sheet, as the transaction concerns entities whose assets guarantee the group's convertible bonds and senior notes.
"With the divestment of our CMOS image sensor business to indie, we are further sharpening our profile as the leader in digital photonics," said CEO Aldo Kamper, in the press release. "At the same time, the expected cash proceeds provide an additional contribution to our accelerated balance sheet deleveraging."
indie Semiconductor, which focuses on automotive and consumer semiconductor solutions, is described as a natural fit for the CIS business given its existing portfolio and strategic direction.