Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Microchip Technology is a leading provider of hardware, software and tools for embedded applications, offering a wide range of microcontrollers, FPGAs, silicon carbide, analog solutions and much more for diverse applications including industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing.

Microchip Technology is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, USA with offices, manufacturing facilities and R&D centers across North America, Europe and Asia.

Microchip Technology was founded in 1989 as a spin-off from General Instrument. Over the decades, it has grown into a global semiconductor manufacturer known for its innovation and reliability.

Microchip Technology is a publicly traded American company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol MCHP. Its ownership is distributed among institutional investors, mutual funds and individual retail investors.

Steve Sanghi is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Microchip Technology Incorporated. He was appointed to these roles on a permanent basis on July 2, 2025, after serving as interim CEO and President since November 2024.

Microchip Technology holds thousands of patents across various semiconductor technologies, ensuring continuous innovation in embedded control, security, power management, wireless connectivity and more.

Microchip has acquired many companies over the years. Notable acquisitions include Microsemi, Atmel and Micrel. See our Acquisition History page for a list of many of the acquisitions. For more information on our acquisitions and how to purchase the products they offered, visit our Acquired Companies page.

Microchip Technology manufactures and offers semiconductors and embedded solutions, including a broad portfolio of microcontrollers, microprocessors, FPGAs, power management solutions, wireless connectivity and more. In addition, Microchip is a key supplier for capacitive touchscreen controllers, USB, infotainment connectivity and precise timekeeping solutions. We provide hardware, software and design tools that help engineers build innovative products.

Microchip’s products are widely used in many industries such as:

• Automotive: Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), Electric Vehicle (EV) power management, infotainment and more
• Aerospace and defense: Radar systems, space applications and more
• Industrial: Robotics, smart factory automation and more
• Consumer Appliance: Refrigerators, coffee makers and more
• Communications: 5G network infrastructure, access networks and more
• Data centers: Data center solutions, enterprise computing and more

Microchip operates its own manufacturing facilities and collaborates with external foundries to offer semiconductor products.

Microchip provides many free software development tools, including MPLAB^® X IDE, MPLAB Harmony and MPLAB XC Compilers.

• MPLAB X IDE: This is an integrated development environment for microcontrollers and digital signal controllers.
• MPLAB Harmony: This embedded software development framework is designed for 32-bit microcontrollers and microprocessors. It offers interoperable software modules to simplify the development of embedded applications, reducing time to market.
• MPLAB XC Compilers: Compilers can be run unlicensed and with no charge as full-featured tools with basic optimizations or you can purchase a PRO license, which unlocks a higher level of optimization to significantly reduce the size and execution time of generated code.

To view all of our tools and resources, visit our Development Tools and Software page.

For support, visit our Support page. Otherwise, visit our Contact Us page.

Microchip supports many Microsemi devices, including the FPGAs from Microsemi’s acquisition of Actel. Visit the Microsemi Products and Actel Products pages to explore the supported products.

Microchip products can be purchased through:

• www.microchipDIRECT.com: Microchip’s e-commerce platform
• Sales and authorized distributors: Our worldwide network of technical sales and support professionals

Visit our Microchip Makes page to see all the ways that Microchip supports hobbyists, DIYers and makers.

Microchip University is an online platform that offers technical training on Microchip’s products and services.

Do you have questions about placing an order or investing in Microchip? Check out our FAQs for Orders and FAQs for Investors.