RISC-V Market: Momentum Building

Semico Research conducted a survey in November 2020 of RISC-V users. This follows an initial survey and report published by Semico in 2019. With this study, we wanted to quantify the total available market (TAM) for IP cores and estimate the served available market (SAM) for RISC-V IP cores. We surveyed and interviewed a cross section of the semiconductor industry in order to gather information related to the type of devices that are being designed with RISC-V and their target markets.

Semico, in conjunction with the RISC-V Foundation, identified 35 markets and developed both a TAM and a SAM for each of these markets. Utilizing Semico’s extensive end-market databases, we developed a forecast out to 2025. This report focuses on four semiconductor devices which have a high value opportunity to use RISC-V cores. These devices are:

• Advanced Performance Multicore SoC
• Value Multicore SoC
• Basic SoCs, and
• FPGAs

Semico’s survey results indicated increasing interest and significant ongoing developments for RISC-V products in all major end applications. RISC-V devices are also targeted at a broad range of performance levels. The compound annual growth rate for RISC-V cores between 2020 and 2025 is 114.9%. The fastest growing served available market is automotive which is projected to achieve a 274.3% CAGR. We expect RISC-V to keep gaining market share as the ecosystem continues to evolve and mature.

RISC-V’s flexible, open-source strategy provides a competitive advantage which is changing the landscape of the CPU IP market. Other IP vendors have or will expand their architecture to provide an open-source option in order to maintain a competitive position in the market.