The SHD Group
The SHD Group is a privately held Bay Area advisory and market research firm, founded in 1999, that provides go-to-market consulting and syndicated research reports to early- and mid-stage semiconductor, AI, and RISC-V technology companies globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The SHD Group does
The SHD Group is a privately held technology market research and advisory firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose, CA), founded in 1999 and operating with a team of approximately 10 senior professionals. The firm focuses exclusively on the semiconductor, AI, and RISC-V technology stack, providing two interlocking services: (1) go-to-market consulting for early- and mid-stage technology companies (post-Series A through pre-Series B), covering product strategy, business development and sales pipeline building, product/corporate marketing, corporate development (including fundraising and exits), and engineering enablement; and (2) syndicated market research publications, headlined by the annual RISC-V Market Report & Ecosystem Guide and the Edge-AI Market Analysis: Applications, Processors & Ecosystem Guide, with four additional reports (SoC Design-Costs, ASIC Design-Start, Semiconductor IP, and Chiplets) under development. The research products follow a freemium model — free basic editions (e.g., 123-page RISC-V report, Edge-AI report) used as lead-generation assets, paired with paid premium editions and companion forecast spreadsheets (300+ tables for RISC-V, 193 tables / 187 figures for Edge-AI) priced on contact. The underlying research methodology is proprietary, combining stakeholder interviews (40+ leading suppliers for Edge-AI), primary data collection, and technical/market analysis to produce multi-year projections (through 2030-2031). Distribution combines direct sales engagement (phone +1 650.400.0018, email [email protected]), gated-content website downloads, an email newsletter, and an AI-mediated channel via the 'Ask Rich' ChatGPT+ agent. The firm holds a strategic relationship with RISC-V International and operates an RISC-V Ecosystem Directory covering 58 companies, positioning it as an embedded node in the RISC-V community.
The SHD Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The SHD Group
- Legal name
- The SHD Group
- Website
- https://theshdgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The SHD Group is a privately held Bay Area advisory and market research firm, founded in 1999, that provides go-to-market consulting and syndicated research reports to early- and mid-stage semiconductor, AI, and RISC-V technology companies globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The SHD Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The SHD Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Go-to-Market Consulting Services: Professional consulting services providing go-to-market support including product strategy, business development, sales pipeline building, marketing, and corporate development for early/mid-stage technology companies.
- Market Research Reports: SHD Group produces market research reports on RISC-V, Edge AI, SoC design costs, ASIC design starts, semiconductor IP, and chiplets. Basic reports are provided free of charge (freemium), with expanded premium editions available for purchase.
- Premium Data Spreadsheets: Extended forecast data and detailed analysis spreadsheets available for purchase, containing hundreds of tables and figures with projections through 2030-2031.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Free RISC-V Market Report |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Expanded RISC-V Report Edition |
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Free Edge-AI Market Analysis |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Edge-AI Forecast Data Spreadsheet |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The SHD Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The SHD Group provides go-to-market consulting and strategic advisory services to early/mid-stage technology companies operating in semiconductors, AI, and RISC-V. It supplements these engagements with proprietary market research reports (Edge-AI, RISC-V ecosystem) and an AI-powered RISC-V knowledge agent (Ask Rich), delivered primarily to business clients across consumer, computing, automotive, and industrial verticals.
Product overview
The SHD Group is a consulting and market research firm, not a traditional software company. Their portfolio consists of published market research reports and advisory consulting services. Key published reports include the 2026 RISC-V Market Report & Ecosystem Guide and the 2025 Edge-AI Market Analysis: Applications, Processors & Ecosystem Guide, with additional reports on SoC Design-Costs, ASIC Design-Starts, Semiconductor IP, and Chiplets under development. The company offers an AI-powered knowledge tool called 'Ask Rich' - a ChatGPT+ agent for RISC-V and Edge AI inquiries. Complementing their publications, they provide go-to-market consulting services spanning Product Strategy, Business Development & Sales, Product/Corporate Marketing, Corporate Development, and Engineering Enablement. They also offer specialized RISC-V Client Services covering IP licensing support, ecosystem assistance, and go-to-market strategy. Additionally, they publish free resources like the AI Guide for Execs white paper.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AI Guide for Execs: AI Guide for Execs - a white paper offering guidance on using AI as executive leverage
- RISC-V Market Report
- Edge-AI Market Analysis
Products and services
- Go-to-Market Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 150 market reports created
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The SHD Group
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The SHD Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The SHD Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- RISC-V InternationalcoreSHD Group works with RISC-V International as part of the RISC-V ecosystem. The company maintains Premier, Strategic, or Community membership levels in RISC-V International. Their RISC-V Ecosystem Directory and market reports cover RISC-V ecosystem companies and technologies, positioning them as a key player in the RISC-V community.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The SHD Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Counterpoint Research: Global technology market research firm with deep semiconductor and AI coverage. Comparable in serving chip vendors with research subscriptions and consulting, though broader in scope than SHD's niche focus.
- Omdia: Large-scale technology research firm (part of Informa Tech) covering semiconductors, AI, and adjacent verticals. Overlaps with SHD's coverage of RISC-V, Edge AI, and semiconductor IP, but with much broader portfolio and enterprise sales reach.
- Forrester Research: Major enterprise research and advisory firm with technology and AI practice coverage. Indirect competitor for advisory engagements with enterprise technology buyers and vendors in SHD's served segments.
- Gartner: Largest enterprise IT research and advisory firm, with semiconductor and AI coverage among many other IT domains. Competes indirectly with SHD for vendor research budgets and executive advisory engagements at large enterprises.
Regional players
- Yole Group: France-headquartered semiconductor and electronics market research firm with comparable product line of deep technology reports (chiplets, IP, AI processors). Comparable in research product format and chip-industry customer base, though headquartered outside SHD's primary US market.
Direct peers
- Tirias Research: Technology research and advisory firm covering semiconductors, AI, and edge computing with both published research and consulting services. Direct comparable in combining market intelligence with GTM advisory for tech vendors.
- TechInsights: Semiconductor and electronics intellectual property intelligence firm offering reverse engineering, patent tracking, and market analysis. Comparable as a deep-domain semiconductor intelligence provider serving chip vendors and IP licensors.
- IC Insights: Long-running semiconductor market research firm producing reports on IC design starts, market shares, and forecasts. Highly comparable in niche market research product and customer base overlap with SHD's semiconductor vendor clients.
- IBS (IC Knowledge): Semiconductor design cost and manufacturing economics research firm. Directly comparable to SHD's planned SoC Design-Costs Report and ASIC Design-Start Report product lines.
- Semico Research: Semiconductor market research firm where SHD Principal Analyst Rich Wawrzyniak worked for 20 years. Closely comparable in niche focus on ASICs, SoCs, IP, and design starts; competes directly for the same vendor research and advisory spend.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The SHD Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe SHD Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The SHD Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The SHD Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The SHD Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The SHD Group
What does The SHD Group do?
The SHD Group provides go-to-market consulting and strategic advisory services to early/mid-stage technology companies operating in semiconductors, AI, and RISC-V. It supplements these engagements with proprietary market research reports (Edge-AI, RISC-V ecosystem) and an AI-powered RISC-V knowledge agent (Ask Rich), delivered primarily to business clients across consumer, computing, automotive, and industrial verticals.
Is The SHD Group a public or private company?
The SHD Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The SHD Group founded?
The SHD Group was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The SHD Group based?
The SHD Group is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does The SHD Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Go-to-Market Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are market Research Reports and premium Data Spreadsheets.
Who are The SHD Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Counterpoint Research, Omdia, Forrester Research and Gartner. Yole Group is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Tirias Research, TechInsights, IC Insights, IBS (IC Knowledge) and Semico Research.
Does The SHD Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The SHD Group.