The Photonics Football
Optical stocks are volatile even in the best market conditions. Someday they will find their value, but it is going to be hard to determine when that will be.
Lucy and the Photonics Football
The optical industry is plagued by manufacturing and packaging obstacles, but may finally be closing in the Holy Grail of Silicon Photonics. This time is totally different….
The Feel of Bare Metal
Much of modern technology is built on the idea of abstracting different layers of systems so that they can operate independently. For semis, the pendulum is now swinging back the other direction towards less abstract, custom chips.
The Changing Face of Compute
A recap of our emerging thesis on the changing nature of compute and what that means for semis companies large and small.
Can there be a long tail of semis?
There probably will not be thousands of companies designing their own chips – the upfront costs are just too prohibitive – but there will be enough to mark a major shift for the industry.
State of the Roll Your Own Semis Market
By our count 28 non-chip companies are developing their own chips. Of these, at least 16 have delivered multiple generations of their chips, signaling a long-term commitment.
Semis for Everyone?
Google is promoting the growth of open source tools for designing semis. The science fiction version of this story leads to everyone designing chips, the reality is going to be much narrower, but still means many more companies designing their own semis.
Doom and Gloom
The markets are terrible. Moore’s Law is slowing. 6G is distant. But we are actually optimistic. Solutions exist for building compelling, complex systems. All that is missing is imagination and a bit of capital.
Custom Silicon and Start-ups
The shift from general purpose silicon to semi-custom and tailored SoCs presents a big opportunity for chip start-ups. If they follow a few simple rules.
Home Depot for DIY Chips
The large, incumbent chip companies are all choosing to embrace the trend of Roll-Your-Own chips by offering support services to non-chip companies’ efforts. Done well this may end up driving those customers to buy more catalog parts. Hopefully.