{{Infobox company | name = Open-Silicon | type = | industry = Semiconductors | foundation = {{Start date |2003 }} | founders = Dr. Naveed Sherwani, Dr. Satya Gupta, Scott Houghton | location_city = Milpitas, California | location_country = United States | products = ASICs, system-on-a-chip, integrated circuits | num_employees = 400 | num_employees_year = 2013 | homepage = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317072532/http://www.open-silicon.com/ |date=March 17, 2009 |title=www.open-silicon.com }} }}
'''Open-Silicon''' was an American semiconductor company based in California that was founded in 2003. The company was a fabless semiconductor company that focused on custom system on chip (SoC) designs.
Open-Silicon was acquired by SiFive in September 2021 and was renamed as OpenFive. The unit was subsequently sold by SiFive in March 2022 to Alphawave Semi.<ref name="dcd1">{{cite news |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/alphawave-acquires-sifives-openfive-business-for-210-million/ |title=Alphawave acquires SiFive’s OpenFive business for $210 million |date=March 14, 2022 |publisher=Data Center Dynamics }}</ref>
==Corporate history== Open-Silicon was founded in 2003 by Naveed Sherwani, Satya Gupta and Scott Houghton. Initial funding was provided by Sequoia Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, and ''InterWest Partners''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.open-silicon.com/company/news-events/press-releases/initial-funding/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130194605/http://www.open-silicon.com/company/news-events/press-releases/initial-funding/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 30, 2013|title=Open-Silicon Inc. Secures $19.5 Million in Funding|date=March 29, 2004}}</ref> In December 2007 ''Unicorn Investment Bank'' acquired 75% of Open-Silicon for $190M, with the rest of the company employee-owned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eetimes.com/rss/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205201890&cid=RSSfeed_eetimes_newsRSS|title=Bahrain Bank Buys Stake in Open-Silicon|date=December 24, 2007}}</ref>
In May 2007, Open-Silicon acquired Zenasis Technologies, a maker of processor optimization EDA software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edn.com/article/459760-Open_Silicon_acquires_Zenasis_hybrid_optimization_technology.php|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730005431/http://www.edn.com/article/459760-Open_Silicon_acquires_Zenasis_hybrid_optimization_technology.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 30, 2012|title=Open-Silicon Acquires Zenasis Hybrid Optimization Technology|date=May 7, 2007}}</ref> This technology has also been expanded by Open-Silicon to focus on low power design and process variability management.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edn.com/blog/Practical_Chip_Design/37523-When_an_ASIC_vendor_partners_with_an_EDA_vendor_a_new_model.php|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731043046/http://www.edn.com/blog/Practical_Chip_Design/37523-When_an_ASIC_vendor_partners_with_an_EDA_vendor_a_new_model.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 31, 2012|title=When an ASIC Vendor Partners with an EDA Vendor: A New Model|date=November 12, 2008}}</ref>
In 2009 Open-Silicon acquired design services firm Silicon Logic Engineering (SLE). This acquisition has enhanced the company's derivative IC design capabilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eetimes.com/open-silicon-acquires-design-services-firm/|title=Open-Silicon Acquires Design Services Firm|date=January 12, 2010}}</ref> In 2010 the company opened new facilities in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Pune, India, to provide additional support for derivative IC design.
Open-Silicon's business model for its ASIC development process was called the OpenMODEL.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eetimes.com/open-silicon-thriving-and-hiring-in-downturn/|title=Open Silicon thriving and hiring in downturn|date=January 12, 2009}}</ref><ref name="dcd1"/> In 2012, Open-Silicon acquired and grew substantial design operations in Pakistan and Taiwan.
On August 17, 2020, SiFive acquired Open-Silicon and renamed it OpenFive, an independent business unit of SiFive. On Sept. 1, 2022, Canadian semiconductor licensing company Alphawave Semi acquired SiFive’s OpenFive business unit for $210 million.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.sifive.com/ SiFive Home page] *[http://www.awaveip.com/ Alphawave Semi Home page]
Category:Electronics companies established in 2003 Category:Fabless semiconductor companies Category:Semiconductor companies of the United States Category:2003 establishments in California Category:American companies established in 2003 Category:2020 mergers and acquisitions Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions