View source for Element 14 Ltd.

{{short description|British developer of telecoms equipment}}
{{otheruses|Element 14 (disambiguation)}}
{{use British English|date=August 2018}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Element 14 Ltd.
| logo = 
| caption = 
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| traded_as = 
| fate = Acquired
| predecessor = [[Acorn Computers]]
| successor = [[Broadcom Corporation|Broadcom]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1999|04|20|df=y}}<ref name="element14_accounts1999">{{ cite web | url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/FC022173/filing-history/MTIzMDU0NjIyYWRpcXprY3g/document?format=pdf&download=0 | title=Element 14 Inc. | website=Companies House | access-date=23 December 2024 | pages=F-7 }}</ref>
| founder = 
| defunct = {{End date|2000|10|24|df=y}}<ref name="broadcom gain 2000">{{cite web
 | url = http://www.broadcom.com/cgi-bin/pr/prps.cgi?id=PR001124
 | title = Broadcom Completes Acquisition of Element 14
 | date = 24 October 2000
 | publisher = [[Broadcom Corporation|Broadcom]]
 | accessdate = 15 Jan 2025
 | url-status = dead
 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20010412101326/http://www.broadcom.com/cgi-bin/pr/prps.cgi?id=PR001124
 | archivedate = 12 April 2001
 }}</ref>
| location_city = 
| location_country = 
| locations = 
| area_served = 
| key_people = [[Stan Boland]]
| industry = [[Digital subscriber line]]
| products = 
| services = 
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| assets = 
| equity = 
| owner = 
| num_employees = 
| parent = 
| divisions = 
| subsid = 
| homepage = <!-- {{URL|examplesite.com|ExampleSite.com}} -->
| footnotes = 
| intl = 
}}

'''Element 14 Ltd.''' was a British developer of [[digital subscriber line]] (DSL) equipment created in July 1999 from the disposal of the assets of [[Acorn Computers]].<ref name="cabot2_accounts1998">{{ cite web | url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01403810/filing-history/OTgxODAzMjZhZGlxemtjeA/document?format=pdf&download=0 | title=Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 1998 | website=Companies House | access-date=25 July 2021 | pages=24 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 | url = http://www.theengineer.co.uk/news/broadcom-acquires-element-14/285181.article
 | title = Broadcom acquires Element 14
 | last = Wilson
 | first = Dave
 | date = 4 October 2000
 | publisher = [[The Engineer (UK magazine)|The Engineer]]
 | accessdate = 11 May 2012}}</ref> As "a three-site startup", it combined teams from Acorn, [[Inmos]]/[[STMicroelectronics]] and [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel]].<ref name="wilson2012">{{ cite web | url=http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2012/06/102746190-05-01-acc.pdf | title=Oral History of Sophie Wilson 2012 Computer History Museum Fellow | website=Computer History Museum | last1=Fairbairn | first1=Douglas | date=31 January 2012 | access-date=6 December 2022 }}</ref>

==History==
By January 1999, Acorn Computers Ltd. had renamed to '''Element 14 Limited''' to reflect the changed focus of the business and to distance itself from the education market that Acorn Computers was most known for.<ref name="e14-q&a">{{cite web|url=http://www.acorn.co.uk/acorn/news/press/e14qa.html|title=Acorn : Acorn and Element 14 - Questions and Answers.|author=|date=6 May 1999|url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990506183321/http://www.acorn.co.uk/acorn/news/press/e14qa.html|archivedate=6 May 1999|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="eetimes clarke 1999">{{cite news
 |first       = Peter
 |last        = Clarke
 |title       = Acorn renamed, refocused as Element 14
 |date        = 1999-01-14
 |publisher   = [[EE Times]]
 |url         = http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4037045/Acorn-renamed-refocused-as-Element-14
 |work        = EE Times
 |accessdate  = 2011-06-08
 |quote       = Acorn Computers Ltd. has changed its name to Element 14 Ltd. as part of its conversion from a computer designer and manufacturer to a developer of software and silicon intellectual property (IP).
 |url-status  = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121003155747/http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4037045/Acorn-renamed-refocused-as-Element-14
 |archivedate = 3 October 2012
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
 |first       = Mike
 |last        = Santarini
 |title       = Acorn reinvents itself as IP-vendor Element 14
 |date        = 1999-01-25
 |publisher   = [[EE Times]]
 |url         = http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4150183/Acorn-reinvents-itself-as-IP-vendor-Element-14
 |work        = EE Times
 |accessdate  = 2011-06-08
 |quote       = Acorn Computers Ltd. (Cambridge, England) has changed its name to Element 14 Ltd. as part of its conversion from a computer designer and manufacturer to a developer of software and silicon intellectual property (IP).
 |url-status  = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121003155734/http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4150183/Acorn-reinvents-itself-as-IP-vendor-Element-14
 |archivedate = 3 October 2012
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> Other names had been considered by the company, but the domain name ''e-14.com'' had been registered before the official announcement.<ref name="computergram 19990105">{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53518116.html | title=Acorn plans name change to reflect new ambitions | work=[[Computergram International]] | date=5 January 1999 | accessdate=3 December 2013 |url-status = dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610074204/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53518116.html | archivedate=10 June 2014 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

During this time the ARM Holdings share value had increased to a point where the capital value of Acorn Group was worth less than the value of its 24% holding in ARM.<ref name="independent-ailing-acorn">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/ailing-acorn-agrees-to-pounds-270m-us-takeover-1090136.html|title=Ailing Acorn agrees to pounds 270m US takeover|author=|date=28 April 1999|website=independent.co.uk|url-status = live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321151341/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/ailing-acorn-agrees-to-pounds-270m-us-takeover-1090136.html|archivedate=21 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> This situation led shareholders to press Acorn to sell its stake in ARM Holdings to provide a return on their investment.<ref name="independent-ailing-acorn"/>

In May 1999, a deal was offered to Acorn Group plc shareholders by '''MSDW Investment Holdings Limited''', a newly incorporated subsidiary of [[Morgan Stanley|Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Group]], in which the MSDW subsidiary would acquire Acorn by giving Acorn shareholders two ARM Holdings shares in exchange for every five Acorn Group shares being held.<ref name="msdw-recommended-offer">{{cite web|url=http://marutan.net/wikiref/msdw/19990504%20-%20MSDW%20Recommended%20offer%20for%20Acorn.pdf|title=Recommended Offer by Morgan Stanley & Co. Limited on behalf MSDW Investment Holdings Limited for the entire ordinary share capital of Acorn Group plc|author=|date=|website=marutan.net|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723202501/http://marutan.net/wikiref/msdw/19990504%20-%20MSDW%20Recommended%20offer%20for%20Acorn.pdf|archivedate=23 July 2011|df=dmy-all|access-date=14 January 2011}}</ref>

As part of the disposal of Acorn's assets, an independent company "owned by Stan Boland and certain senior management" were granted the option to purchase Acorn's silicon and software design activity for £1&nbsp;million subject to obtaining external financing. This company was effectively the independent Element 14 entity,<ref name="ac-prelim-results-for-1998">{{cite web|url=http://www.marutan.net/wikiref/msdw/19990427%20-%20Acorn%20audited%20results%20for%201998.pdf|title=Acorn Group PLC - Preliminary Announcement of Audited Results for the Year Ended 31 December 1998|website=marutan.net|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718122337/http://www.marutan.net/wikiref/msdw/19990427%20-%20Acorn%20audited%20results%20for%201998.pdf|archive-date=18 July 2011|access-date=14 January 2011}}</ref> which set about raising venture capital and subsequently secured £8.25 million in first-round funding from [[Bessemer Venture Partners]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bvp.com/companies/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115221752/http://bvp.com/Portfolio/Element-14%28acq.byBroadcom%29.aspx|url-status=dead|title=Companies|archivedate=15 January 2011|website=www.bvp.com}}</ref> Atlas Ventures<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/08/02/atlas_coughs_up_13m/|title=Atlas coughs up $13m for Acorn spin-out|author=|date=|website=theregister.co.uk|url-status = live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810092055/https://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/08/02/atlas_coughs_up_13m/|archivedate=10 August 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and Herman Hauser's Amadeus Capital Partners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amadeuscapital.com/404-page-not-found/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218194115/http://www.amadeuscapital.com/companies/element14.php|url-status=dead|title=Element 14|archivedate=18 December 2010|website=www.amadeuscapital.com}}</ref>

[[File:Cambridge Science Park Broadcom.jpg|thumb|[[Broadcom Corporation]]'s offices at [[Cambridge Science Park]] in 2011]]

In February 2000, Element 14 successfully head-hunted [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel]]'s top [[digital subscriber line]] (DSL) engineers, including designers of analogue front-end and digital ICs, xDSL modem software and specialists in [[Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line|asymmetric DSL]] (ADSL) and [[VDSL|very high rate DSL]] (VDSL) systems, and thereby acquired an engineering centre in [[Mechelen]], [[Belgium]]. This reflected a shift towards the companies targeting of the DSP technology away from Media and towards DSL markets.<ref name="alcatelcoup">[http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2000/02/09/14651/Element+14+snatches+Alcatel+DSL+designers.htm Element 14 snatches Alcatel DSL designers], Electronics Weekly, 9 February 2000</ref>

Element 14 developed [[IPTV]] over standard phone lines and worked with [[telephone company|telco]]s such as Canada's [[NBTel]].<ref name="pcw e14 1999">{{cite news|url=http://www.computeractive.co.uk/pcw/news/1925699/from-little-acorns-element-14-grows |title=From little Acorns, Element 14 grows |work=[[Personal Computer World]] |date=13 April 1999 |accessdate=10 April 2012 |author=Swift, Caroline |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208005639/http://www.computeractive.co.uk/pcw/news/1925699/from-little-acorns-element-14-grows |archivedate=8 December 2012 }}</ref> It continued to develop its DSP products until it was purchased by [[Broadcom Corporation]] in November 2000 for £366 million<ref name="broadcombuyout">[http://www.edn.com/article/CA50486.html Broadcom buys Element 14] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927174340/http://www.edn.com/article/CA50486.html |date=27 September 2007 }}, Electronic News, 9 October 2000</ref> and Element 14 became Broadcom's DSL business unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theengineer.co.uk/news/broadcom-acquires-element-14/285181.article|title=Broadcom acquires Element 14 - The Engineer The Engineer|author=|date=|website=theengineer.co.uk|url-status = live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314015942/http://www.theengineer.co.uk/news/broadcom-acquires-element-14/285181.article|archivedate=14 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
 |first       = Bruce
 |last        = Gain
 |title       = Broadcom to pay $594M for European DSL supplier
 |date        = 2000-04-10
 |publisher   = [[EE Times]]
 |url         = http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4020095/Broadcom-to-pay-594M-for-European-DSL-supplier-
 |work        = EE Times
 |accessdate  = 2011-06-08
 |quote       = Broadcom Corp. [...] agreeing to offer $594 million in stock [...] to purchase Element 14 Ltd. [...]
 |url-status  = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121003155843/http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4020095/Broadcom-to-pay-594M-for-European-DSL-supplier-
 |archivedate = 3 October 2012
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Acorn computers}}
{{RISC OS}}

[[Category:Acorn Computers]]<!-- may need focusing -->
[[Category:Defunct technology companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Technology companies based in Cambridge]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1999]]
[[Category:Technology companies disestablished in 2000]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in England]]
[[Category:2000 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1999]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 2000]]