We are building an open, accessible IC design platform tailored for SMEs, combining pre-verified reference designs, support for both open-source and proprietary tools, and a fully integrated supply chain. Our platform is already enabling pilot projects with SME and academic partners and will be further expanded through our joint EU Chips Act application with a leading EDA vendor and ChipCraft. This effort aims to create a step change in how SMEs approach silicon design, making the process faster, more affordable, and significantly less risky. As part of this, we aim to reduce not only technical barriers but also economic and operational ones. These are challenges that would otherwise take SMEs years to navigate alone.

ChipFlow’s automotive reference design platform provides a structured, cost-effective foundation for Remote I/O ASIC development. It enables OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to deploy application-specific silicon tailored to zonal architectures without committing to a full custom flow. This approach reduces risk, compresses timelines, and improves control over final system behavior.

At ChipFlow, we are building an IC Design platform that helps hardware teams work more like software teams. That means fewer manual steps, more automation, and tooling that is flexible enough to fit real-world workflows. OpenROAD plays a key role in that. It lets us give users a clean and efficient backend flow with a much more cost efficient support model. The license is open-source and support can range from self support to purchasing full support from a third party.

We don’t claim open source will dominate every corner of automotive silicon—but it will always be there. Just as it has in software, open source will gain permanent, growing market share. The benefits of lower cost, increased transparency, improved security, and multi-sourcing are too powerful to ignore.

RISC-V is evolving, but it’s not  a de facto solution despite a desire from many companies. However, the biggest success of RISC-V is that it’s proven that open-source hardware can work! It has also found its market in smaller 32-bit cores and accelerators, particularly in fragmented sectors like IoT and industrial applications, where customization and cost-efficiency are keys .

ChipFlow is excited to announce a relocation to Spain

This move will position ChipFlow at the heart of the European semiconductor ecosystem, unlocking new opportunities for growth, talent development, funding and collaboration.

ChipFlow is proud to announce that the silicon test chips from the recent GlobalFoundries 130nm BCD tape-out are fully functional and performing as expected.

The test chip was designed for an Automotive OEM whose Advanced Engineering team were seeking to validate a zonal architecture concept aimed at significantly reducing the number of ECUs in their future vehicle platforms. Extensive testing confirmed a successful boot-up, with validation performed on the CPU. 

How can organizations move beyond the well established ways and introduce cost effective and optimised solutions without disrupting stability?

This paper outlines ChipFlow’s solution for a selected segment of European SMEs and OEMs.

Zonal architecture offers a solution that simplifies vehicle design, reduces weight, cuts costs, and provides the flexibility needed for future technologies. Bespoke chips are playing a crucial role in enabling this shift, providing the high-performance, energy-efficient, and scalable hardware necessary for the next generation of vehicles.

Discover ChipFlow's state-of-the-art PaaS solution, designed to give OEMs a competitive edge and drive bespoke innovation forward.

In the final year of my PhD, I transitioned to a startup, in a role that focused on developing an open-source 3D printed microscope. This experience marked my first encounter with open-source projects, and I was captivated by the collaborative spirit and wide-reaching impact of open-source contributions. After earning my PhD, I joined a biotech company, where I continued to specialise in MEMS chip design and simulation. This role really deepened my passion for chip design, as I saw firsthand how different designs could address a variety of complex problems. Joining ChipFlow excited me, as it combines my enthusiasm for the chip industry with my passion and belief to the open-source community.

Microsoft’s story is a testament to the power of open collaboration and strategic adaptation, potentially offering a blueprint for the future of semiconductor innovation in the UK and Europe.

The European Union, through its Chips Act, can play a critical role in accelerating the evolution and adoption of open-source hardware globally, while enabling Europe to meet its semiconductor targets more rapidly and effectively. We believe this can be achieved by integrating an open-source-driven design flow into the Design Platform and linking it to existing Europractice manufacturing capabilities. A clear roadmap with targets that align with the European Chips Act will enable broader support from academia and industry.