Ceva Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth IPs Power Renesas’ First Combo MCUs for IoT and Connected Home

The rapid expansion of IoT, smart home, and industrial automation markets is reshaping how connectivity is designed into embedded systems. Developers increasingly require highly integrated wireless solutions that deliver strong performance, ultra-low power consumption, and design flexibility, while also shortening development cycles and reducing system cost. Addressing these needs, Ceva, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of silicon and software IP for the Smart Edge, announced that Renesas Electronics Corporation has integrated Ceva-Waves™ Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) IPs into its newly launched RA6W1 and RA6W2 microcontrollers (MCUs), marking Renesas’ first combo wireless MCU offerings.

Renesas’ RA6W1 and RA6W2 MCUs are designed to support a broad range of connected applications, including smart home devices, industrial IoT, consumer electronics, and building automation. The RA6W1 integrates dual-band Wi-Fi 6, while the RA6W2 combines Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth LE into a single MCU platform. By leveraging Ceva-Waves connectivity IPs, Renesas enables developers to choose between standalone Wi-Fi designs, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth LE combo solutions, or fully integrated wireless modules, depending on performance, cost, and power requirements.

This flexibility is increasingly critical as IoT devices diversify across use cases, from battery-powered sensors and smart appliances to industrial controllers and gateways. The Ceva-powered RA6W1 and RA6W2 solutions simplify system architecture by reducing the need for external connectivity components, lowering bill-of-materials costs, and streamlining RF and software integration. At the same time, they offer both hosted and hostless implementation options, allowing customers to tailor system partitioning and optimize overall efficiency.

Power efficiency remains a key differentiator in IoT and connected home markets, where battery life and thermal constraints directly impact product usability and lifetime. Ceva-Waves Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth LE IPs are optimized for low-power operation without compromising throughput, reliability, or interoperability. Wi-Fi 6 brings benefits such as improved spectral efficiency, reduced latency, and better performance in dense environments, while Bluetooth LE provides energy-efficient short-range connectivity for device provisioning, control, and data exchange. Together, these technologies enable always-connected devices that operate reliably within strict power budgets.

“Connected devices are advancing at an unprecedented pace, opening new opportunities in IoT and industrial applications,” said Chandana Pairla, Vice President of Connectivity at Renesas. “By incorporating Ceva’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE IPs into our MCUs, we are delivering system-level connectivity that combines high performance with exceptional energy efficiency. This integration helps customers reduce design complexity, extend battery life, and accelerate time to market in smart home and industrial automation applications.”

From Ceva’s perspective, the collaboration highlights the growing role of licensable connectivity IP in enabling scalable, standards-compliant wireless solutions across a wide range of MCU and SoC designs. “Our unique connectivity IP portfolio delivers the performance and efficiency needed to bring next-generation wireless features into MCUs,” said Tal Shalev, Vice President and General Manager of the Wireless IoT Business Unit at Ceva. “This collaboration with Renesas reinforces our role as a trusted partner, enabling faster IoT innovation and empowering developers to expand what’s possible at the smart edge.”

Ceva-Waves is a comprehensive portfolio of wireless connectivity IPs supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth LE and Dual Mode, IEEE 802.15.4, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and turnkey multiprotocol platforms that also support Thread, Zigbee, and Matter. With proven hardware implementations and complete software stacks, Ceva-Waves enables faster integration, reduced risk, and shorter time to market for MCU and SoC developers targeting next-generation IoT and connected home devices.

Bottom line: By combining Renesas’ robust MCU platforms with Ceva’s industry-proven connectivity IPs, the RA6W1 and RA6W2 MCUs set a new benchmark for flexible, power-efficient wireless integration helping developers meet the evolving demands of the connected world while accelerating innovation at the smart edge.

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