What ChipFoundry does

ChipFoundry, doing business as Umbralogic Technologies LLC and headquartered in San Carlos, California, operates an open-source silicon design and fabrication platform that targets startups, product companies, researchers, and educational institutions. Its flagship chipIgnite program aggregates demand via multi-project wafer (MPW) shuttles using the SkyWater SKY130 130nm PDK, with each tapeout priced at $14,950 and yielding 100 QFN-packaged parts or bare die alongside an evaluation board. The platform layers standardized silicon-proven SoC reference designs (Caravel, Caravan, OpenFrame) onto an open-source RTL-to-GDSII flow, with the chipIgnite SoC Builder — powered by NativeChips.ai — providing AI-assisted design automation that converts form-based inputs into physical implementation, enabling users without ASIC expertise to produce working chips in approximately five months.

The company monetizes through a mix of one-time MPW tapeout fees, SRAM IP licensing ($2,500 per project), premium chipIgnite ML packages ($22,250 prototype to $45,000 production), extended support blocks ($1,000 per 5 hours), custom design services, and a newer Production Aggregation program that supports 10k-100k+ unit volumes at sub-$5.00 per unit via an Anchor/Tenant model. ReRAM foundry services launched on the November 2025 shuttle. Distribution is primarily self-serve through chipfoundry.io with GitHub-based design submission, supplemented by sales-assisted enterprise engagement and partnerships with Tiny Tapeout and OpenPOWER Foundation.

Leadership comprises CEO Jeff DiCorpo, CTO Mohamed Kassem (co-founder of NativeChips and former co-founder of Efabless), and CSO Samir Patel. In September 2025, the company acquired Efabless' IP and technology assets, including 15 issued patents and 3 pending applications, consolidating the open-source silicon ecosystem previously stewarded by Efabless. The platform inherits a community of over 10,000 members and a track record of 600+ fabricated designs.

Name

ChipFoundry

Legal name

Umbralogic Technologies LLC

Website

https://chipfoundry.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ChipFoundry (Umbralogic Technologies LLC) operates an open-source silicon design and multi-project wafer fabrication platform, using the SkyWater SKY130 PDK to produce custom chips for startups, product companies, researchers, and educational institutions starting at $14,950 per tapeout, with AI-powered design automation via NativeChips.ai.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Foundry Services

NAICS

Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)

akta.pro primary industry

R&D / Prototyping & MPW Shuttle Foundries (HDAHACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Hardware IP & Chiplet/Packaging for Accelerators (EDA/IP, advanced packaging) (HDAAAAAL), Assembly & Packaging Services (Wirebond/Flip-Chip/FCBGA) (HDAHADAA)

Keywords

• Custom chip fabrication
• MPW shuttle services
• Open-source silicon design
• RISC-V SoC development
• ASIC prototyping platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Carlos

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. MPW Shuttle Fabrication Services: Primary revenue stream from multi-project wafer (MPW) shuttle program. Customers pay per tapeout ($14,950 standard) to have their custom chip designs fabricated alongside other projects on shared wafers. Includes 100 QFN-packaged parts or bare die, evaluation board, and basic support. Revenue is one-time per shuttle run with recurring customer engagement across multiple projects.
2. Extended Support Packages: Premium technical support sold in 5-hour blocks ($1,000 per block). Includes remote hands-on assistance from ChipFoundry engineers, troubleshooting, design optimization, and expert guidance. Classroom training billed at 2:1 ratio. Represents recurring revenue from existing customers seeking additional support.
3. Custom Design Services: Full design services engagement where ChipFoundry handles RTL coding, design hardening, timing closure, and verification for customer projects. Pricing determined per-project based on scope and complexity. High-margin professional services for complex designs.
4. Commercial SRAM IP Licensing: Sale of commercially proven SRAM macros ($2,500 per project) that can be instantiated multiple times within a single ChipCreate project. Customers implement SRAM_1024x32, SRAM_4096x32, or SRAM_8192x32 macros in their designs.
5. chipIgnite ML Platform Services: Custom ML chip platform for remote sensor IoT applications. Proto-Only option starting at $22,250 for open-source prototyping. Proto + Production option starting at $45,000 for production-ready applications. Includes fabrication, development boards, and EDA tool access.
6. Production Aggregation Services: Volume production services using Anchor/Tenant model. Anchor customers underwrite production tooling for schedule sovereignty; Tenant customers access production for ~25% of standard tooling NRE. Enables 10k-100k+ unit production at sub-$5.00 per unit pricing.
7. Corporate Training: Team training seminars covering chip design topics, with learning materials included. Billed at 2:1 ratio from support packages due to preparation requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ChipFoundry operates the chipIgnite platform, a multi-project wafer (MPW) shuttle fabrication service that enables product companies, startups, researchers, and educational institutions to design and fabricate custom silicon chips at low cost. The platform combines open-source RTL-to-GDSII design flows (OpenLane), standardized silicon-proven SoC reference designs (Caravel, Caravan, OpenFrame), and AI-powered design automation (SoC Builder powered by NativeChips.ai) on the SkyWater SKY130 130nm process node. Customers submit designs via GitHub, reserve shuttle spots online, and receive packaged parts in approximately five months for a $14,950 per-tapeout fee.

Product overview

ChipFoundry operates as a platform-plus-services architecture built around the chipIgnite MPW shuttle program, a next evolution of the Efabless chipIgnite initiative. The core chipIgnite platform provides custom silicon fabrication through scheduled multi-project wafer shuttles, using pre-built SoC reference designs (Caravel, Caravan, OpenFrame) with RISC-V subsystems and up to 15mm² user area. The AI-powered SoC Builder (powered by NativeChips.ai) layers on top for automated design implementation. Additional offerings include: chipIgnite ML for machine learning edge sensor applications, Production Aggregation for volume manufacturing, Commercial SRAM IP macros, chipDiscover for educational institutions, Tiny Tapeout partnership for open-source designs, and ReRAM memory services. Pricing starts at $14,950 per tapeout for standard shuttle participation, with optional extended support, design review, and premium technical support available at additional cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• chipIgnite: Core MPW shuttle program for chip design, fabrication and bring-up for product companies, startups and university programs
• chipDiscover
• SoC Builder
• chipIgnite ML
• Production Aggregation
• ReRAM
• Commercial SRAM

Products and services

• chipIgnite MPW Shuttle Program Core multi-project wafer shuttle program providing custom silicon chip design, fabrication, packaging, and bring-up services for product companies, startups, and educational institutions. Each project delivers 100 QFN-packaged parts (or bare die), an evaluation board, test framework, and up to 15mm² die space with 38 configurable I/Os at $14,950 per tapeout.
• chipIgnite SoC Builder AI-powered design service that lets users build custom System-on-Chips through a form-based interface without prior ASIC expertise. Selects from a verified IP peripheral library and silicon-proven base templates while NativeChips.ai automates backend implementation.
• chipIgnite Production Aggregation Volume production program using an Anchor/Tenant model that aggregates multiple commercial projects onto a single production mask set at 130nm, enabling lower NRE costs and volume economics starting at 10k units per year for startups moving to first commercial launch.
• chipIgnite ML Custom SoC platform optimized for remote sensor IoT applications with machine learning acceleration. Achieves up to 10x longer battery life with RISC-V CPU, custom ML acceleration logic, and ultra-low power design with customizable analog interfaces.
• Caravel SoC Platform Standardized SoC reference platform with RISC-V processor subsystem, 38 programmable GPIOs supporting digital/analog/mixed-signal designs, and ~10mm² user project area. Silicon-proven with thousands of tapeouts as part of the chipIgnite platform.
• Caravan SoC Platform Bare pad prototyping SoC platform with 27 programmable GPIOs and 11 high-speed IOs, optimized for analog designs and educational purposes with ~10mm² user area.
• OpenFrame SoC Platform Advanced directly configured IO SoC platform with 44 configurable GPIOs and ~15mm² user project area. Provides maximum flexibility with no integrated processor for custom processor implementations.
• Commercial SRAM IP Commercially proven SRAM macros (SRAM_1024x32, SRAM_4096x32, SRAM_8192x32) wrapped with Wishbone interface, shipped in billions of units and available for direct integration into user project areas at $2,500 per project.
• chipDiscover Educational kit for students, makers, and university courses featuring an FPGA-based development board, jump starter documentation, free design tools, open-source PDK with no legal agreements, and option to manufacture projects with Tiny Tapeout.
• ReRAM Foundry Services Resistive Random-Access Memory fabrication services integrated into MPW shuttles. ReRAM offers non-volatile, high-speed, low-power memory ideal for AI accelerators, edge computing, and IoT devices.
• Extended Support Packages Tiered support services including remote hands-on engineering support ($1,000 per 5-hour block), classroom training seminars, and full custom design services covering RTL coding, design hardening, timing closure, and verification.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 10x longer battery life for edge ML applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OpenPOWER FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Co-announced winners of the Microwatt Design Challenge in December 2025. The challenge aimed to accelerate development of the Microwatt-core with open-source tooling. Three winning designs will be fabricated and delivered to the teams.
• EfablesscoreTechnology or Integration · 3 September 2025ChipFoundry (Umbralogic Technologies LLC) acquired Efabless' intellectual property and technology assets including 15 issued patents and 3 pending applications. The acquired assets are being integrated into ChipFoundry's chip creation platform, with enhanced features rolling out through prototype shuttles.
• SkyWater TechnologycoreTechnology or IntegrationSkyWater Technology is the foundry partner providing the SKY130 130nm CMOS process design kit (PDK) used by ChipFoundry's chipIgnite platform. This open-source PDK enables customers to design chips using the SkyWater fabrication process through ChipFoundry's MPW shuttle program.
• Tiny TapeoutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTiny Tapeout has made chip design accessible to thousands through educational programs. ChipFoundry is a proud partner that fabricates Tiny Tapeout designs, subsidizing a portion of fabrication costs. Designs can also be manufactured through ChipFoundry's platform.
• OpenPOWER FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChipFoundry and OpenPOWER Foundation co-announced the Microwatt Design Challenge in December 2025 to accelerate open-source POWER hardware development. The challenge aimed to advance the Microwatt-core with open-source tooling, with three winning designs to be fabricated.
• NativeChipscoreTechnology or IntegrationNativeChips provides the AI-powered design automation engine used internally by ChipFoundry for the SoC Builder service. The NativeChips.ai platform automates physical design implementation (placement, routing, timing closure), cutting manual engineering time from weeks to days.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Europractice: Europractice is a European IC prototyping and MPW service for academic and commercial users, offering access to multiple foundries including advanced nodes. It overlaps directly with ChipFoundry on the educational and prototyping customer base, although geographically focused on Europe.
• Efabless: Efabless is the predecessor of ChipFoundry's chipIgnite program and operated the same open-source MPW shuttle model with similar community and tooling. It is the most direct comparator for business model and customer base, though much of its IP was acquired by ChipFoundry in September 2025.
• Circuits Multi-Projets (CMP): CMP is a French-based MPW and small-volume IC prototyping service serving universities, research labs, and startups across Europe. It offers comparable shuttle-based access to multiple foundry processes, making it a direct peer in the democratized chip fabrication segment.
• MOSIS: MOSIS is a long-established multi-project wafer (MPW) and prototyping service serving academic and commercial customers. It is one of the closest direct competitors to ChipFoundry's chipIgnite shuttle model, particularly for university and research users.

Broad incumbents

• GlobalFoundries: GlobalFoundries is a large-scale foundry offering its own MPW/shuttle programs and a broad portfolio of process nodes. It overlaps on MPW services for prototyping and education but at far greater scale and across more advanced nodes than ChipFoundry's 130nm focus.
• SkyWater Technology: SkyWater Technology is the foundry partner providing the SKY130 130nm PDK and a broader US-based pure-play foundry serving aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial customers. It is comparable as the underlying capacity provider and the gatekeeper of ChipFoundry's process roadmap.
• TSMC University Shuttle Program: TSMC operates a university shuttle program providing academic institutions access to advanced-node fabrication. It is the dominant incumbent in the academic and prototyping MPW space and represents both the ceiling of capability and the primary competitive benchmark for ChipFoundry's education segment.

Emerging players

• Tiny Tapeout: Tiny Tapeout is an educational chip-design program that lowers the barrier to silicon for students and hobbyists and is now a partner of ChipFoundry. It overlaps on the educational segment and open-source ethos, though it focuses on very small designs and digital-only projects.

Others

• Cadence Design Systems: Cadence is a leading commercial EDA and IP provider and a listed ChipFoundry partner. It overlaps on the EDA toolchain side of the chip design flow and is relevant as a complementary or substitute toolset to ChipFoundry's open-source OpenLane flow.
• Synopsys: Synopsys is a leading EDA tools and IP provider and a core part of the chip design stack that ChipFoundry's platform abstracts via OpenLane. It is comparable as an enabling ecosystem player whose tools complement or compete with ChipFoundry's open-source design flow depending on customer profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/chipfoundry
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@chipIgnite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chipfoundry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ChipFoundry