Apple is Settling Chip Secrets Theft Case Against Startup Rivos

Apple Inc. said it’s reached an agreement that potentially settles its 2022 lawsuit accusing startup Rivos Inc. of poaching engineers to steal trade secrets.

In a joint court filing Friday, the companies told a judge they’re aiming to finalize an accord that resolves their claims against each other by March 15.

“The agreement provides for remediation of Apple confidential information based on a forensic examination of Rivos systems and other activities,” according to the filing in federal court in San Jose, California. “The parties currently are working through that process.”

The dispute started when Apple sued former employees who went to Rivos, accusing them of working with the “stealth-mode” startup to take proprietary information about chip designs that make iPhones more powerful — which the tech giant said cost it billions of dollars to develop. Rivos in September fired back at Apple for allegedly using illegal measures to intimidate employees “who might dare to leave.”

Representatives for Apple and Rivos didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The case is Apple Inc. v. Rivos Inc., 22-cv-2637, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Jose).