RISC-V Con 2025: Are You Attending? – EEJournal

Key Takeaways

Andes Technology holds a 30% share of the global RISC-V IP market, with over 16 billion SoC devices using their IP cores.
The company is a founding member of the RISC-V Foundation and plays a significant role in advancing RISC-V technology and standards.
Andes offers over 30 RISC-V CPU IP cores, emphasizing customization capabilities that attract many clients in various industries, including AI.

Andes Technology: A Rising Leader in RISC-V IP

Andes Technology, a prominent RISC-V IP vendor, commands a 30% share of the global market and boasts over 16 billion system-on-chip (SoC) devices equipped with its IP cores. Founded in Taiwan and publicly traded, Andes is not as widely recognized in North America as some competitors but has significant ties to the U.S. market, which contributes about 30% of its revenue.

The roots of the RISC-V project date back to around 2010 at UC Berkeley, initiated by a team of professors and students aimed at developing an open and royalty-free instruction set architecture. After slowly gaining traction, the RISC-V Foundation was established in 2015, relocating in 2019 to Switzerland to become RISC-V International. This has led to a remarkable expansion of RISC-V-based products, with forecasts projecting a nearly 50% annual increase in processor shipments through 2030.

Andes has grown its operational capacity significantly, employing over 500 staff primarily in R&D. With teams in the U.S. states of Oregon, Texas, and Washington, the company’s next-generation ultra-high-performance processor IP is being fully designed in the U.S., a strategic move that highlights its commitment to innovation. Unique to Andes is its status as the sole publicly traded RISC-V IP company, providing market analysts with trustworthy metrics for its sales performance.

Additionally, Andes has been integral to the RISC-V ecosystem, contributing extensions like the DSP extension while playing active roles in various task groups since its inception. With over 30 available “off the shelf” AndesCore RISC-V CPU IP cores, the offerings range from basic 32-bit microcontrollers to advanced 64-bit processors designed for high-performance applications.

The core naming convention includes an “A,” “D,” or “N” to denote specific functionalities such as application processing or SIMD DSP capabilities, with the added “SE” for Safety Enhanced models. A significant differentiation factor for Andes is its advanced vector processing capabilities, crucial for high-end artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Their vector processors, particularly in the AndesCore 40-Series, are optimized to support multiple data types including BF16, which has gained traction among leading AI companies like Google and Nvidia.

Greenlighting customer customization, about 75% of Andes’ clients utilize their ability to incorporate custom instructions using tools such as Andes Automated Custom Extension (ACE) and the Copilot, which automates much of the enhancement process. This feature allows clients to create unique SoC offerings that stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Looking ahead, RISC-V Con 2025 promises to be a pivotal event for enthusiasts and professionals within the RISC-V ecosystem, featuring key lectures, developer track sessions, and hands-on workshops planned for April 29, 2025, in San Jose. The conference aims to foster innovation and exchange ideas among industry leaders and developers, emphasizing the growth and significance of RISC-V technology.

As RISC-V continues to proliferate across various sectors, Andes Technology is poised to become a leading name in the conversation surrounding RISC-V IP, making significant contributions to the field’s advancement and the nurturing of a vibrant ecosystem.

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