BRUSSELS and OTTAWA, Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a joint announcement today, the Eclipse Foundation, one of the world's leading open source software foundations, and OpenHW Group, a global leader in developing open source RISC-V processor cores and IP, revealed that OpenHW will become part of the Eclipse Foundation. This strategic collaboration, set to be finalised by December 2024, will accelerate the development of open source hardware technologies, offering a robust, open alternative to proprietary architectures. This move will benefit a wide array of industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, IoT, automotive, and high-performance computing (HPC).

Founded in 2019, OpenHW Group immediately established a strategic partnership with the Eclipse Foundation, drawing on Eclipse’s expertise to deliver key services, including development processes, IP management, IT infrastructure, and back-office operations. This long-standing collaboration has laid the foundation for a seamless integration, strengthening OpenHW’s mission to provide verified, industrial grade, open source cores that are ready for commercial-grade SoC production.

As part of this transition, OpenHW Group will be renamed the OpenHW Foundation, bringing its extensive network of more than 100 members and partners into the Eclipse Foundation’s open source ecosystem, including prominent organisations such as Barcelona Supercomputing Center, CEA, Red Hat, Silicon Labs, and Thales. By joining forces with the Eclipse Foundation, OpenHW reinforces its commitment to delivering industry-leading open hardware solutions.

“Joining the Eclipse Foundation is a transformative moment for OpenHW, solidifying our commitment to delivering trusted open hardware solutions to the global market,” said Florian Wohlrab, CEO of OpenHW Group. “This partnership provides the long-term stability, infrastructure, and open source expertise we need to continue driving innovation in RISC-V hardware, benefiting both our members and the broader industry.”

Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation, added, “Throughout its five-year history, OpenHW has played a pivotal role in pushing the boundaries of open source hardware. Together, we’re now much better positioned to advance cutting-edge technologies in areas like AI, software-defined vehicles, and the Industrial IoT, further strengthening the role of open source in these critical industries.”

Bolstering Open Source Hardware Innovation

By joining the Eclipse Foundation, OpenHW can fully focus on further developing RISC-V hardware, an open, flexible, and cost-effective architecture that enables faster innovation while removing traditional licensing barriers. The open source nature of RISC-V makes it an ideal choice for enterprises looking to disrupt markets, especially in sectors such as AI and automotive, where flexibility and scalability are critical.

Under the governance of the Eclipse Foundation, the OpenHW Foundation will continue to lead and expand on critical projects and initiatives, including:

• CVA6: 64/32-bit cores designed for high-performance applications like Linux-based systems. These configurable cores offer an industrial-grade platform for a wide range of applications, including those with advanced safety requirements.
• CVE4: 32-bit embedded-class cores, optimised for IoT, edge computing, and consumer electronics, powering devices like washing machines, robots, drones, and game controllers. Typically, these cores run real-time operating systems such as Eclipse ThreadX or operate in bare-metal environments.
• CVE2: Small, power-efficient processors, perfect for deeply embedded control applications, replacing state-machine logic in embedded devices.
• CVA6 Platform: A vendor-neutral software validation platform supporting a variety of FPGA configurations, including cloud-based solutions like AWS ES2 FPGA instances.
• Software Initiatives: Ongoing efforts to add extensions, improve compilers, and enhance emulators to ensure robust support for our cores across the latest technologies.
  

Join OpenHW and Shape the Future of Open Processor Technologies

As part of the Eclipse Foundation, the OpenHW Foundation is uniquely positioned to advance its mission of supporting industries ranging from embedded systems to supercomputing. By delivering high-quality, verified RISC-V cores, OpenHW meets the rigorous demands of modern applications, ensuring reliability and innovation across diverse sectors. This transition brings exciting opportunities for both existing and new stakeholders to get involved and help shape the future of open source hardware. We invite members, partners, and other stakeholders to actively engage in advancing RISC-V core development, emulation kits, and software initiatives.

Whether you're a developer, researcher, or an organisation, joining the OpenHW Foundation gives you direct access to a vibrant, collaborative community that drives RISC-V-based innovation. Explore opportunities to contribute, influence key initiatives, and make your mark in the open hardware community. New members are welcome to join through the Eclipse Foundation. Visit the Eclipse Membership page to learn how to become part of this exciting new chapter.

Member Quotes

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)
"At BSC, our mission is to push the boundaries of computer architecture and supercomputing. By working closely with OpenHW, we are contributing to the development of high-performance, open source RISC-V cores that are critical to the future of high-performance computing. We are confident OpenHW joining the Eclipse Foundation will only further enhance this collaboration, offering greater opportunities for impact across the global open hardware ecosystem.” – Miquel Moretó, High Performance Domain-Specific Architectures Group Leader at BSC.

Bluespec
“The RISC-V community has made a tremendous impact, with millions of cores already being shipped. We're excited to see OpenHW Group join the Eclipse Foundation and view it as a significant milestone that will drive innovation across the broader ecosystem. At Bluespec, we recognize the importance of fostering a healthy, open source environment and this collaboration ensures continued development of high-quality, industrial-grade open source RISC-V cores." – Charlie Hauck, CEO of Bluespec.

CEA
“CEA has long been at the forefront of research and development in sectors such as low-carbon energy and microelectronics with its Leti institute. Our collaboration with OpenHW enables us to apply our advanced research to open source processor technology, creating new possibilities for commercial and industrial applications. As a long-time existing Strategic Member of the Eclipse Foundation, we are confident that this transition marks an exciting new chapter in our work with OpenHW, ensuring that we continue to drive meaningful innovation in both open hardware and critical global industries.” – Fabien Clermidy, Head of System Division, CEA-Leti.

Silicon Labs
“Silicon Labs is proud to support the OpenHW Foundation's mission of driving innovation in open source hardware. As a leader in radio modules and wireless technologies, we recognize the importance of robust, verified processor cores that meet the demands of modern IoT applications. The Eclipse Foundation's strong governance and OpenHW’s RISC-V expertise create a powerful platform for collaboration and growth.” – Daniel Ciooley, CTO and SVP at Silicon Labs

Thales
“At Thales, we are deeply committed to advancing cutting-edge technologies, and our collaboration with OpenHW aligns perfectly with this mission. Through initiatives like the Europe Tristan project, we are leveraging open source RISC-V processor cores to deliver innovative, secure solutions for the aerospace and defence sectors. The transition to the Eclipse Foundation strengthens this commitment and positions the OpenHW community to drive further breakthroughs in open hardware.” – Daniel Glazman, CTO Software (KTD), Thales Group.

About the Eclipse Foundation
The Eclipse Foundation provides our global community of individuals and organisations with a business-friendly environment for open source software collaboration and innovation. We host the Eclipse IDE, Adoptium, Software Defined Vehicle, Jakarta EE, and over 420 open source projects, including runtimes, tools, specifications, and frameworks for cloud and edge applications, IoT, AI, automotive, systems engineering, open processor designs, and many others. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the Eclipse Foundation is an international non-profit association supported by over 360 members. Visit us at this year’s Open Community Experience (OCX) conference on 22-24 October 2024 in Mainz, Germany. To learn more, follow us on social media @EclipseFdn, LinkedIn, or visit eclipse.org.

About OpenHW Group
OpenHW Group is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to developing, verifying, and delivering high quality, open source RISC-V processor cores and related IP for commercial and industrial applications. With its extensive network of more than 100 members and partners, OpenHW is driving the advancement of open source processor technology across cloud, mobile, IoT, AI, automotive, HPC, and other domains. Through its CORE-V Task Group, the organisation ensures industry-aligned, high-quality development, supporting cutting-edge SoC production worldwide. OpenHW is supported by leading innovators such as Barcelona Supercomputer Center (BSC), CEA, Red Hat, Silicon Labs, and Thales. To learn more, visit openhwgroup.org .