business_plan.mdwn

   1 # Business Plan
   2
   3 [[business_plan/discussion]]
   4
   5 # An overview of the business
   6
   7 ```What does it do and what makes it different?```
   8
   9 Our products are hybrid 3D CPU-GPU-VPU Systems-on-Chips (SoCs) that are
  10 designed to be more efficient, use less power and be easier and less cost
  11 to integrate into products such as smartphones, netbooks, chromebooks,
  12 tablets, Industrial IoT, routers, IPTV and many more.
  13
  14 We accomplish this at the hardware level by extending the OpenPOWER
  15 Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) with an innovative Vector ISA that
  16 merges 3D, Video and CPU into one single hybrid processor, where normal
  17 systems would have two or three separate processors (and complex firmware
  18 arrangements).  At the software level we engage closely with community
  19 resources and partners to ensure upstream collaboration.  Complexity is
  20 reduced, time to market is reduced, power consumption is reduced.
  21
  22 A typical SoC licenses separate closed-source CPU and closed-source GPU,
  23 introducing huge complexity in the drivers, making the ODM critically
  24 reliant on the GPU supplier, and limiting both ODM and end-user innovation
  25 opportunities.  We provide the full source code even for the processor
  26 HDL, and full firmware source.  This allows end-users to audit the
  27 product in full (a critical requirement for secure environments).
  28
  29 # Goals.
  30
  31 ```What does the business want to achieve? This should set some SMART objectives that will quickly show if the business is succeeding.```
  32
  33      Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
  34      Keep it simple – three big goals supported by clear
  35      targeted actions to get you there
  36
  37 Our very early goals are to develop a low-cost 180/130nm Gigabit router
  38 product with built-in cryptographic primitives and direct packet routing.
  39 Timescale is end of Q4 2021 and using Google Skywater 130nm "Libre"
  40 MPW for a test ASIC Q2 2021.
  41
  42 The second product is a 28nm (or lower) Quad-Core competitor to the ASpeed
  43 2600, a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) SoC capable of acting as a
  44 PCIe-based Graphics Card after its primary "boot" job is done.  BMCs are
  45 present on almost every server motherboard: they are used to boot and
  46 manage Servers in Cloud Computing Data Centres world-wide.  The product
  47 will also be suitable for a SBC (Single Board Computer) with "Raspberry Pi"
  48 style interfaces and, with both USB-C, PCIe host and client, can act as
  49 an independent low-power affordable Graphics Card (a 3D version of the
  50 Volari X11) with modest 3D and Video capabilities for use typically in
  51 Data Centres and Embedded Industrial PCs, as well as a USB-C Graphics
  52 Adapter (similar to DisplayLink products). Timescale is end of Q2 2022.
  53
  54 The long-term products are intended to reach mass-volume adoption of
  55 100 to 500 million units, using the latest geometries to gain high
  56 performance as well as power savings, primarily in the smartphone
  57 netbooks chromebooks tablets IoT and IPTV markets.  These to be planned
  58 and developed in overlap with the 28nm product, for delivery Q2 2023.
  59
  60 Additionally we seek to establish ourselves as a "Solutions Provider",
  61 developing custom-targetted high performance, high efficiency processors
  62 as part of full product design and delivery.  This through leveraging and
  63 engaging professional community and partner resources with the highest
  64 level of exertise in the customer's market.
  65
  66
  67 # Your audience and the market.
  68
  69 ```Who will your business supply and how will it reach them? How big is the market and who are your key competitors?```
  70
  71 Our initial target market for the router product is small "Libre" sales
  72 channels such as Thinkpenguin.  Launch will be through Crowdsupply, which
  73 places the router directly onto Mouser's website and fulfilment channel.
  74
  75 The Quad Core intermediate product is intended for targetted supply to
  76 select customers (unique branded), and a generic branded variant to SBC
  77 community-focussed ODMs such as Pine64, Purism, Orange Pi etc. These
  78 typically have sales volumes (each) of 20 to 100k units per year.
  79 The worldwide "Community" SBC market, which overlaps with Industrial
  80 IoT and Education, is in the 400k and above range.
  81
  82 The overall SoC market is massive (hundreds of millions per year when
  83 including smartphone, netbook and chromebook products).  Competitors for
  84 the intermediate product include Samsung, Texas Instruments, Rockchip,
  85 Allwinner, AMLogic, ST Micro, Atmel, Freescale/NXP, and dozens more.
  86 The key distinguisher is the "niche targetting" (peripherals, built-in
  87 capabilities) and yet with not one single one of them providing full
  88 source and firmware for CPU, GPU and VPU due to licensing of closed
  89 solutions they are all effectively not truly competitors.
  90
  91 The long-term competitors include Apple, AMD, NVidia and Intel, where
  92 we will be providing the high performance power-efficient Hybrid
  93 CPU-GPU-VPU processors that they cannot.
  94
  95 # Products and pricing.
  96
  97 ```What will you be selling and how will your prices be set? How does this compare with your competitors?```
  98
  99 For the first phase we will manufacture and sell a completed 5 port
 100 Gigabit Ethernet Libre/Open router product using our SoC that is similar
 101 to Linksys products.  Full source code and CAD designs will be provided,
 102 immediately.  Retail pricing for a 2xUSB2 5xGbeE router product is around
 103 the USD $45 mark, with the SoC alone in 180nm QFP retailing around the
 104 $9 mark ($5 in high volume)
 105
 106 For the second phase we will provide the BMC and SBC style Quad Core
 107 SoC to select customers, with the target price in volumes of 50k units
 108 being around the USD $23 mark (ASpeed 2600 is $35 and is not very good).
 109
 110 The third phase which involves MOQ 250k units will be targetting sub $7
 111 for mid-range SoCs and $15 for high-end ones.
 112
 113 # Who is involved.
 114
 115 ```Many investors say they invest as much in the people as they do in the business. Share some information about people’s roles, experience and passions.```
 116
 117 Luke: TODO.
 118
 119 Jacob: TODO.
 120
 121 Cole: TODO.
 122
 123 Lauri: TODO.
 124
 125 Cesar: TODO
 126
 127 Tobias: TODO
 128
 129 # Financials.
 130
 131 ```Provide details about sales, costs, break-even points and where investment will come from. If you’re looking for people to invest, you should include information about likely returns. If you’re looking for ways to finance your business, crowdfunding, alternative finance and government funding are a good place to start.```
 132
 133 We have EUR 350,000 in grants from NLnet and are eligible for access to the Google Skywater 130nm Libre MPW Programme.  We have a good relationship with Crowdsupply and the project has been in pre-launch mode for a year, in preparation.
 134
 135 The Router ASIC's development and MPW may be entirely paid-for with NLnet Grants (TBD) as long as they have a focus on crypto-primitives.  Its real purpose serves as a training ground for the team and a proving ground for the core concept, with no financial risk.
 136
 137 TBD