Following a year-long process to sell the company, RISC-V licensor Codasip restructured this month. On Semiconductor (Onsemi) has acquired the CPU design (IP) operation, and we expect it to use the Codasip cores in its chips and those of its ASIC customers. Codasip continues, licensing its CPU-customization tool to Onsemi, licensing its Cheri security technology, and pivoting from the IP business to selling Cheri-enabled chips.
Codasip had developed a family of RISC-V cores spanning low-cost CPUs for control through midrange application processing for embedded designs. The company had also won a contract to develop a high-end design for a European supercomputing project. Optional safety certification, available in cores such as the Codasip L730, added value for automotive and industrial customers. Unavailable from other CPU licensors, Cheri was a significant differentiator but also a niche technology. Despite its advantages, Codasip wasn’t a viable IP supplier and needed a new strategy.
RISC-V Market Consolidation
Licensees of generic CPUs face no shortage of RISC-V options. Although these suppliers are consolidating—GlobalFoundries has acquired MIPS and the Synopsys RISC-V businesses, for example—the ongoing supplier surfeit makes it tough for any company to thrive. As much as the European Union favors local technology, it hasn’t nurtured an electronics industry comparable to those in North America or Asia to license designs. Codasip, therefore, has exited the licensing business.
Bottom Line: Cheri on Top
Turning to selling chips, the company will generate per-unit revenue measured in dollars, not cents. Focusing on Cheri-based security positions it to address a niche unserved by bigger semiconductor suppliers. Codasip will target chips for defense and critical infrastructure, where demand for security is greatest. Cheri hardware supervises memory access, thwarting hackers’ attempts to exploit buffer overflows, freed pointers, and other bugs to compromise systems. Fine-grained Cheri control requires modifying applications, but coarse-grained control is easier to implement. As governments seek to secure critical infrastructure, Codasip’s Cheri technology positions it to win designs.