Architecting Your Next SoC: Join the Live Discussion on Tradeoffs, IP, and Ecosystem Realities

Designing a system-on-chip (SoC) has never been more complex—or more critical. With accelerating demands across AI, automotive, and high-performance compute applications, today’s SoC architects face a series of high-stakes tradeoffs from the very beginning. Decisions made during the earliest phases of design—regarding architecture, IP selection, modeling, and system integration—can make or break a project’s success.

That’s why SemiWiki is proud to host a live webinar:

“What to Consider When Architecting Your Next SoC: Architectural Tradeoffs, IP Selection, and Ecosystem Realities”

 Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 9:00 AM PDT

This session will feature a practical, fast-paced conversation between two seasoned experts in SoC architecture and IP design:

• Paul Martin, Global Director of SoC Architecture, Aion Silicon

• Darren Jones, Distinguished Engineer & Solutions Architect, Andes Technology

Together, they’ll walk through real-world scenarios, decision frameworks, and lessons learned from working with some of the most demanding silicon customers in the world.

Rather than a static presentation, the format is designed as a fireside chat—highlighting the nuance and complexity of early-stage architecture decisions through dialog. Expect candid insights, live Q&A, and audience engagement—not a canned marketing pitch.

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What You’ll Learn:

• How to weigh architectural tradeoffs when performance, flexibility, and schedule are in tension

• What questions to ask when selecting IP across multiple vendors

• The role of modeling, simulation, and emulation in derisking “works-first-time” silicon

• How system-level decisions (like interconnect width or coherency models) impact overall architecture

• Where ecosystem support—toolchains, deliverables, and foundry alignment—can determine downstream success

You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of performance, power, and area (PPA) metrics—how to interpret them, and how to avoid common traps when comparing IP blocks. This session goes beyond datasheets to explore how real design teams validate assumptions and make decisions that hold up under pressure.

Whether you’re leading architecture for your next chip, evaluating IP options, or supporting teams through SoC integration, this webinar will sharpen your perspective and provide actionable strategies.

Why Attend Live:

This is a live-only event, and attendees will have the chance to ask questions directly. If your team is facing architectural decisions this quarter—or simply wants to learn how top-tier firms approach system tradeoffs—this is a valuable opportunity to hear from peers in the trenches.

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Speaker Bios:

Darren Jones, Distinguished Engineer and Solutions Architect, Andes Technology

Darren Jones is a seasoned engineering leader with more than three decades of experience in processor architecture, SoC design, and IP integration. Currently a Distinguished Engineer and Solutions Architect at Andes Technology, he helps customers develop high-performance RISC-V–based solutions tailored to their systems, drawing on his deep expertise in system-on-chip design and verification.

Prior to Andes, Darren held senior leadership roles at Esperanto Technologies, Wave Computing, Xilinx, MIPS Technologies, and LSI Logic, where he led teams through multiple successful chip tapeouts—from 7nm inferencing accelerators to complex multi-core and multithreaded architectures. His experience spans architecture definition, RTL design, IP delivery, and full-chip integration.

Darren holds more than 25 patents in processor design and multithreading. He earned his M.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University and his B.S. with highest honors from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Paul Martin, Global Director of SoC Architecture, Aion Silicon

Paul Martin is the Global Director of SoC Architecture at Aion Silicon, where he leads international engineering teams and drives customer engagement across complex semiconductor design projects. With decades of experience in commercial, technical, and strategic roles at companies including ARM and NXP, he has helped bring cutting-edge SoC technologies to market. Martin is known for his ability to bridge technical innovation with business value across Europe, North America, and Asia.

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