Andes Technology Wiki

Andes Technology Corporation

Andes Technology Corporation is a leading provider of embedded CPU intellectual property (IP) based on the RISC-V and proprietary instruction set architectures. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, the company offers low-power, high-performance 32-bit and 64-bit processor cores for a wide range of SoC and embedded applications. Andes is a founding Premier member of RISC-V International and is recognized as one of the key contributors to the growth of the open-standard RISC-V ecosystem.

🔹 Company Overview

• Founded: 2005

• Headquarters: Hsinchu, Taiwan

• Type: Public company (listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange)

• Industry: Semiconductor IP, Embedded CPUs, RISC-V processors

• Global Offices: Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, USA, and Europe

🧠 Core Technology

Andes specializes in CPU cores for embedded systems, configurable through a feature-rich instruction set and scalable microarchitecture options. It offers processor IP in both AndesCore™ and AndeStar™ families, supporting:

• RISC-V 32-bit and 64-bit ISA with optional Andes custom extensions

• AndeStar™ V5 architecture fully based on RISC-V

• Customizable features such as DSP/SIMD, FPU, MMU, multicore, vector processing, security, and machine learning acceleration

Andes processors are designed to be compact, energy-efficient, and performance-optimized for embedded applications ranging from ultra-low power MCUs to high-performance AI-enabled edge SoCs.

🛠️ Products & IP Portfolio

AndesCore™ Families:

• Entry-Level: Ultra-compact cores for MCUs, sensor hubs, and wearables

• Mid-Range: Cores with memory protection, cache, and real-time performance

• High-Performance: Out-of-order, multicore-capable cores with vector processing

• Secure & Safety-Critical: ISO 26262-ready cores for automotive and industrial use

Software & Tools:

• Integrated development environment (IDE) and toolchains

• Compilers, debuggers, simulators, and profiling tools

• RTOS and Linux support

• Secure boot, trusted execution, and virtualization technologies

🌍 Applications & Markets

Andes CPU cores are used in a wide array of applications, including:

• Internet of Things (IoT) devices and smart sensors

• AI and machine learning accelerators

• Automotive electronics and ADAS

• Networking and storage controllers

• Consumer electronics, smart home, and wearables

• Industrial automation and robotics

• Mobile, 5G, and edge computing

🚀 Ecosystem & Industry Role

As a pioneer in RISC-V IP, Andes Technology plays a major role in advancing the RISC-V ecosystem. The company collaborates with EDA vendors, operating system providers, design services firms, and foundries to ensure seamless design integration and software development support.

Andes actively contributes to open-source development and community standards, supporting platforms like Zephyr, FreeRTOS, and Linux, as well as frameworks for AI, security, and IoT.

📈 Company Strengths

• Performance Efficiency: High DMIPS and CoreMark scores per MHz

• Configurability: Flexible feature sets for custom SoC needs

• Compact Footprint: Small die area and low power for edge and mobile

• Compliance: Safety certifications including ISO 26262 and industrial-grade designs

• Scalability: From MCU-class cores to Linux-capable 64-bit processors

📋 Summary Table