Open-Silicon Update: 125M ASICs shipped!

As you all know I am a big fan of the ASIC business model. It was critical in the transformation of the fabless semiconductor industry and still plays a critical part in our success. In fact, the ASIC business model is leading the way for systems companies to make their own chips. Remember, Apple started with the ASIC business model through Samsung for their first iPhone SoCs that transformed the world, absolutely.

In 2015 Open-Silicon celebrated the shipment of their 100M ASIC and now less than two years later they are over 125M spread amongst 300+ designs. More importantly, their defective parts per million average (DPPM) is 30, resulting in very low RMAs. 30 DPPM is an excellent number for the ASIC business by the way. The DPPM ASIC numbers I have heard in the past were much higher.

“Our low RMA return is evidence of our excellence in design engineering. We prideourselves in reducing risk, lowering cost and delivering first-time working siliconthat is ready for volume production.” Asim Salim, Open-Silicon’s Vice President of Manufacturing Operations.


If you look at the Open Silicon website you will see a wide range of business models. Customers can engage with a design level specification, RTL, netlist, GDS2, production or design only. This reminds me of the start of the fabless business model where designs where sketched out on white boards or even cocktail napkins and taken from idea to chip by ASIC legends LSI Logic and VLSI Technology. Again, a systems company or an emerging IC company can get ideas transformed into proof of concept prototypes or even production quality silicon with reduced risk and minimal upfront cost.

The other part of the Open Silicon website you should see is the IoT ASIC page. My trusted sources say that by the year 2020 there will be more than 20B industrial/commercial internet connected devices installed. If you have an idea for one of these devices this is the page you want to spend time on, absolutely.

Open-Silicon also has an IP Page that talks about their High Bandwidth Memory IP, Hybrid Memory, Cube ASIC & FPGA Controller IP, Interlaken Controller IP, and Partner IP. Silicon proven commercial IP not only reduces design risk, it dramatically shortens design time so you definitely need to spend some time on this page as well, no matter what chip idea you have.

The other page you should spend time on is the Open-Silicon landing pageon SemiWiki. We have been working with Open-Silicon since the beginning of last year and have 12 blogs by 4 different bloggers/perspectives starting with A Brief History of Open Silicon.

Open-Silicon transforms ideas into system-optimized ASIC solutions within the time-to-market parameters desired by customers. The company enhances the value of customers’ products by innovating at every stage of design – architecture, logic, physical, system, software and IP – and then continues to partner to deliver fully tested silicon and platforms. Open-Silicon applies an open business model that enables the company to uniquely choose best-in-industry IP, design methodologies, tools, software, packaging, manufacturing and test capabilities. The company has partnered with over 150 companies ranging from large semiconductor and systems manufacturers to high-profile start-ups, and has successfully completed over 300 designs and shipped over 125 million ASICs to date. Privately held, Open-Silicon employs over 250 people in Silicon Valley and around the world. www.open-silicon.com