How do you build a semiconductor company on something that's free?

12 hours ago

Open-source semiconductor design mirrors the Linux (Red Hat) model: core IP is free, but revenue comes from support, customization, and specialized services.
Key customer appeal includes verifiable security (backdoor-free chips through transparent supply chains) and lower barriers for custom chip creation by smaller companies.
IP Forge, a package manager for open-source IP blocks, aims to accelerate design by enabling easy sourcing, comparison, and integration of code blocks.
Inexpensive experimentation, via tools like Wafer.Space and open-source FPGAs, drives growth by allowing engineers to take risks and iterate designs cheaply.
Daniel Schultz, founder of aesc silicon, is bootstrapping with a long-term vision for open-source semiconductors, prioritizing ecosystem development over immediate profits.

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