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Open-Silicon provides advanced custom System-on-a-Chip (SoC) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) solutions. The company operates as a fabless semiconductor provider, specializing in the design, integration of open market intellectual property, and high-quality manufacturing services for complex silicon products. Its technical approach centers on the OpenMODEL, a comprehensive business model for ASIC development that emphasizes flexibility and efficient product realization.
The company was founded in 2003 by Dr. Naveed Sherwani, Dr. Satya Gupta, and Scott Houghton in Milpitas, California. Their collective insight identified a significant market need for innovative and flexible methodologies in semiconductor chip manufacturing, enabling clients to bring their unique designs to market more effectively.
Open-Silicon serves a diverse clientele across various industries, including communications and consumer electronics, providing system-optimized ASIC services. The company's vision centers on empowering customers to rapidly develop and deploy specialized silicon, continually evolving its offerings to meet the intricate demands of advanced semiconductor design and production.
Open Silicon has raised $46.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Open Silicon has raised $46.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Open-Silicon was a leading fabless semiconductor company specializing in system-on-chip (SoC) design and manufacturing services, particularly for custom ASICs, derivative ICs, and platform SoCs.[1][2][3] It served OEMs and fabless customers by providing end-to-end solutions—from design and IP integration to wafer fabrication, assembly, and production handoffs—emphasizing low cost, fast schedules, customer service, and first-time silicon success.[1][2] The company's OpenMODEL ecosystem integrated engineering technology with a broad partner network, enabling flexible, risk-reduced chip development; by the early 2010s, it had shipped over 100 million ASICs across top foundries.[4]
Growth momentum included global expansion with facilities in the US, India, Pakistan, and Taiwan, acquisitions to bolster capabilities, and partnerships like Synopsys for pre-qualified IP, achieving 100% first-pass success on 50+ designs.[1][3][4] However, Open-Silicon ceased independent operations after acquisitions: bought by SiFive in 2021 (renamed OpenFive), then sold to Alphawave Semi in 2022 for $210 million.[3]
Founded in 2003 in California by Naveed Sherwani, Satya Gupta, and Scott Houghton—veterans from Intel and Synopsys Professional Services—Open-Silicon emerged amid demand for flexible chip manufacturing alternatives to costly customer-owned tooling (COT) or rigid traditional ASICs.[3][4] The trio's OpenMODEL business model offered customizable design, IP, fabrication, and production choices, securing $8.4 million in initial funding from Sequoia Capital and Norwest Venture Partners, followed by $11.1 million from InterWest Partners.[3][4]
Early traction came via milestones like 2004's Red Herring Top 100 finalist nod and 2007's majority acquisition by Unicorn Investment Bank for $190 million (leaving 25% employee-owned).[3][4] Pivotal moments included 2007's Zenasis Technologies buy for low-power EDA tools, 2009's Silicon Logic Engineering acquisition for derivative IC expertise, and 2010-2012 expansions into North Carolina, India, Pakistan, and Taiwan.[3] By the 2010s, it had shipped 100 million units, but later shifts saw SiFive's 2020 acquisition (as OpenFive) and Alphawave Semi's 2022 purchase.[3][4]
Open-Silicon stood out in the fabless ASIC space through these key strengths:
(Note: [5] discusses a separate "open silicon" concept for open-source hardware, unrelated to this company.[5])
Open-Silicon rode the fabless revolution in semiconductors, addressing 2000s needs for agile SoC realization amid rising complexity in mobile, networking, and consumer electronics—offering a middle path between high-risk COT and slow ASICs.[4] Timing was ideal post-dot-com, as fabless models scaled with foundry advances (e.g., TSMC), enabling faster time-to-market for OEMs without massive capex.[1][2]
Market forces like IP reusability, process node maturity, and globalization favored its model, influencing the ecosystem by popularizing "develop-to-spec" and derivative ICs, boosting efficiency for mid-tier players.[3][4] Its 100M+ shipments and acquisitions underscored validation, paving the way for custom silicon in AI, 5G, and edge computing, though its legacy now lives via Alphawave Semi's IP and services portfolio.[3]
Open-Silicon's arc—from 2003 innovator to 2022 asset in Alphawave Semi—highlights the consolidation trend in semis, where specialized SoC services merge into larger connectivity/IP giants. What's next: Alphawave leverages OpenFive's tech for high-speed IP in data centers and AI, amid trends like custom silicon demand (e.g., hyperscalers' ASICs) and advanced nodes (2nm+).[3]
Shaping forces include US-China tensions spurring domestic fabs, RISC-V/open IP growth, and supply chain resilience—positioning its lineage for expansion in 400G+ networking and edge AI. Influence evolves from standalone enabler to embedded capability, sustaining the flexible fabless ethos that defined its success.[1][3][4]
Open Silicon has raised $46.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $10.0M Series D in March 2007.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2007 | $10M Series D | — | Norwest Venture Partners | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2005 | $15M Series C | — | Norwest Venture Partners | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2004 | $12M Series B | — | Norwest Venture Partners | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2003 | $9M Series A | — | Norwest Venture Partners | Announced |
Open Silicon has raised $46.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Open Silicon's investors include Norwest Venture Partners.
