Akeana Raises $100M and Launches Innovative RISC-V Chip Designs

Akeana: Revolutionizing Semiconductor Design with RISC-V Processors

Akeana, a pioneer in semiconductor design, has successfully raised over $100 million in funding over the past three years, focusing on innovative RISC-V processors. Today marks the official launch of Akeana’s customizable intellectual property (IP) solutions tailored for a diverse range of workloads and applications.

Product Launch Overview

The newly launched product line includes:

- Akeana 100 Series: This features highly configurable 32-bit RISC-V processors suitable for embedded microcontrollers, edge gateways, and personal computing devices. The Akeana 100 serves as the foundation of the processor family, scalable from single-core to multi-core configurations.

- Akeana 1000 Series: Comprising 64-bit RISC-V processors with a memory management unit (MMU), this series supports rich operating systems while ensuring low power consumption and minimal die area. Additionally, it offers options for multi-threading and AI computation extensions, aligning with the latest RISC-V profiles.

- Akeana 5000 Series: Positioned as a pinnacle of performance, these extreme performance processors outpace established competitors in the RISC-V landscape. They are optimized for demanding applications in next-gen devices and data centers, delivering significantly higher single-thread performance than the Akeana 1000 Series.

- Processor System IP: A comprehensive collection of IP blocks essential for developing processor system-on-chips (SoCs), including coherent cluster cache blocks and I/O MMUs.

All processors and interconnect IPs are now available, allowing customers to begin utilizing Akeana’s cutting-edge intellectual property immediately.

Investment and Team Expertise

Akeana has garnered backing from top-tier investors, such as Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, and Fidelity, driving its vision forward. The team, known for designing Marvell’s ThunderX2 server chips, is dedicated to disruptive advancements in semiconductor technology.

“Our proven expertise in server chip design is now being applied to the wider semiconductor market,” stated Rabin Sugumar, CEO of Akeana. “With our customizable cores and advanced features, we provide unmatched performance and reliability, setting the stage for industry transformation.”

Industry leaders also recognize Akeana's potential. Navin Chaddha from Mayfield remarked, “Akeana possesses all the elements needed to excel – a top-tier team, comprehensive IP offerings, and a compelling value proposition that equips chipmakers for success in silicon design.”

Akeana’s Competitive Edge

Akeana operates as a pure IP company, facing competition primarily from ARM and other RISC-V IP companies such as SiFive, MIPS, and Andes. Akeana differentiates itself by offering the highest performance processors and an extensive product portfolio, focusing on customization to meet unique customer demands. This approach enables clients to achieve optimum performance with accelerated time-to-market.

With over 150 employees and growing, Akeana is poised to be a leading force in the semiconductor industry, committed to delivering innovative RISC-V-based compute, interconnect, and accelerator solutions. The company is also actively involved in the RISC-V board of directors and participating in the RISE project to enhance RISC-V software availability.

As Akeana continues to push boundaries in semiconductor IP innovation and performance, it remains dedicated to empowering its customers with advanced, adaptable technology and equitable licensing options. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements regarding Akeana's AI solutions, including an ultra-high-performance matrix accelerator designed for computationally intensive tasks.