OpenFive's Customizable Silicon-Focused Solutions

OpenFive is a solution-centric and processor agnostic custom silicon business unit dedicated to building optimized domain-specific SoCs

Today, I am excited to announce the launch of OpenFive, a self-contained and autonomous custom silicon business unit of SiFive, Inc. OpenFive is solution-centric and uniquely positioned to design processor agnostic SoCs and deliver high-quality silicon.

The demand for domain-specific silicon and workload-focused architecture is driven by several key factors. General purpose processors used to be the workhorses for the majority of computing tasks. With transistor cost increasing, and the end of Dennard scaling, general purpose processors have become very power hungry and performance increases are hard to find from process technology alone - architecture plays a key role in workload acceleration.

We’re not alone in seeing this opportunity, as leading technology companies are embracing domain-specific accelerators targeted for applications such as AI training/inference, network virtualization and computational storage. Domain-specific or workload-focused silicon enable the cost-effective, scalable products desired by technology companies who want to own their roadmap and vertically integrate their products with hardware and software IP.

OpenFive is built around a balance of silicon expertise and customizable IP, including a focused portfolio of SoC IP to enable key design features. OpenFive’s advanced design methodologies enable the use of leading edge foundry nodes, including 5nm, with 2.5D packaging technology, to build Artificial Intelligence, Edge Computing, HPC, and Networking solutions.

The OpenFive IP portfolio includes low-latency, high-throughput Interlaken connectivity fabric, 400/800G Ethernet, High-bandwidth memory (HBM2/E), USB subsystem IP, and die-to-die interconnect IP for next-generation heterogeneous chiplet-style products. OpenFive’s broad industry expertise enables us to develop SoCs with a variety of processor cores, including RISC-V ISA as well as processors from Arm, Cadence, CEVA, and Synopsys.

This ISA-agnostic and open approach will help accelerate the adoption of RISC-V in new designs, as chip designers look for the best IP for each functional block inside their SoC designs. The open, free RISC-V ISA is the basis for the SiFive Core IP portfolio - the broadest in the industry. SiFive cores, along with other RISC-V based cores, and cores from other ISAs, can make a heterogeneous mix of application, embedded, and microcontrollers to enable a modern domain-specific design.

We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity that domain-specific silicon offers OpenFive customers in their next-generation products. With a heritage and expertise spanning more than 15 years, over 150M units shipped, and more than 350 tape-outs, OpenFive’s end-to-end expertise in Architecture, Design Implementation, Software, Silicon Validation and Manufacturing enable the design and delivery of high-quality silicon, with first-time-right results.

For more information on the portfolio of IP and silicon solutions OpenFive can provide for your new vertically-integrated, differentiated design project, please connect with us here.

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