business_plan.mdwn

   1 # Business Plan
   2
   3 * [[business_plan/discussion]]
   4 * [[business_plan/3_slides]]
   5
   6 # An overview of the business
   7
   8 ```What does it do and what makes it different?```
   9
  10 Our products are hybrid 3D CPU-GPU-VPU Systems-on-Chips (SoCs) that are
  11 designed to be more efficient, use less power and be easier and less cost
  12 to integrate into products such as smartphones, netbooks, chromebooks,
  13 tablets, Industrial IoT, routers, IPTV and many more.
  14
  15 We accomplish this at the hardware level by extending the OpenPOWER
  16 Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) with an innovative Vector ISA that
  17 merges 3D, Video and CPU into one single hybrid processor, where normal
  18 systems would have two or three separate processors (and complex firmware
  19 arrangements).  At the software level we engage closely with community
  20 resources and partners to ensure upstream collaboration.  Complexity is
  21 reduced, time to market is reduced, power consumption is reduced.
  22
  23 A typical SoC licenses separate closed-source CPU and closed-source GPU,
  24 introducing huge complexity in the drivers, making the ODM critically
  25 reliant on the GPU supplier, and limiting both ODM and end-user innovation
  26 opportunities.  We provide the full source code even for the processor
  27 HDL, and full firmware source.  This allows end-users to audit the
  28 product in full (a critical requirement for secure environments).
  29
  30 # Goals.
  31
  32 ```What does the business want to achieve? This should set some SMART objectives that will quickly show if the business is succeeding.```
  33
  34      Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
  35      Keep it simple – three big goals supported by clear
  36      targeted actions to get you there
  37
  38 Our very early goals are to develop a low-cost 180/130nm Gigabit router
  39 product with built-in cryptographic primitives and direct packet routing.
  40 Timescale is end of Q4 2021 and using Google Skywater 130nm "Libre"
  41 MPW for a test ASIC Q2 2021.
  42
  43 The second product is a 28nm (or lower) Quad-Core competitor to the ASpeed
  44 2600, a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) SoC capable of acting as a
  45 PCIe-based Graphics Card after its primary "boot" job is done.  BMCs are
  46 present on almost every server motherboard: they are used to boot and
  47 manage Servers in Cloud Computing Data Centres world-wide.  The product
  48 will also be suitable for a SBC (Single Board Computer) with "Raspberry Pi"
  49 style interfaces and, with both USB-C, PCIe host and client, can act as
  50 an independent low-power affordable Graphics Card (a 3D version of the
  51 Volari X11) with modest 3D and Video capabilities for use typically in
  52 Data Centres and Embedded Industrial PCs, as well as a USB-C Graphics
  53 Adapter (similar to DisplayLink products). Timescale is end of Q2 2022.
  54
  55 The long-term products are intended to reach mass-volume adoption of
  56 100 to 500 million units, using the latest geometries to gain high
  57 performance as well as power savings, primarily in the smartphone
  58 netbooks chromebooks tablets IoT and IPTV markets.  These to be planned
  59 and developed in overlap with the 28nm product, for delivery Q2 2023.
  60
  61 Additionally we seek to establish ourselves as a "Solutions Provider",
  62 developing custom-targetted high performance, high efficiency processors
  63 as part of full product design and delivery.  This through leveraging and
  64 engaging professional community and partner resources with the highest
  65 level of exertise in the customer's market.
  66
  67
  68 # Your audience and the market.
  69
  70 ```Who will your business supply and how will it reach them? How big is the market and who are your key competitors?```
  71
  72 Our initial target market for the router product is small "Libre" sales
  73 channels such as Thinkpenguin.  Launch will be through Crowdsupply, which
  74 places the router directly onto Mouser's website and fulfilment channel.
  75
  76 The Quad Core intermediate product is intended for targetted supply to
  77 select customers (unique branded), and a generic branded variant to SBC
  78 community-focussed ODMs such as Pine64, Purism, Orange Pi etc. These
  79 typically have sales volumes (each) of 20 to 100k units per year.
  80 The worldwide "Community" SBC market, which overlaps with Industrial
  81 IoT and Education, is in the 400k and above range.
  82
  83 The overall SoC market is massive (hundreds of millions per year when
  84 including smartphone, netbook and chromebook products).  Competitors for
  85 the intermediate product include Samsung, Texas Instruments, Rockchip,
  86 Allwinner, AMLogic, ST Micro, Atmel, Freescale/NXP, and dozens more.
  87 The key distinguisher is the "niche targetting" (peripherals, built-in
  88 capabilities) and yet with not one single one of them providing full
  89 source and firmware for CPU, GPU and VPU due to licensing of closed
  90 solutions they are all effectively not truly competitors.
  91
  92 The long-term competitors include Apple, AMD, NVidia and Intel, where
  93 we will be providing the high performance power-efficient Hybrid
  94 CPU-GPU-VPU processors that they cannot.
  95
  96 # Products and pricing.
  97
  98 ```What will you be selling and how will your prices be set? How does this compare with your competitors?```
  99
 100 For the first phase we will manufacture and sell a completed 5 port
 101 Gigabit Ethernet Libre/Open router product using our SoC that is similar
 102 to Linksys products.  Full source code and CAD designs will be provided,
 103 immediately.  Retail pricing for a 2xUSB2 5xGbeE router product is around
 104 the USD $45 mark, with the SoC alone in 180nm QFP retailing around the
 105 $9 mark ($5 in high volume)
 106
 107 For the second phase we will provide the BMC and SBC style Quad Core
 108 SoC to select customers, with the target price in volumes of 50k units
 109 being around the USD $23 mark (ASpeed 2600 is $35 and is not very good).
 110
 111 The third phase which involves MOQ 250k units will be targetting sub $7
 112 for mid-range SoCs and $15 for high-end ones.
 113
 114 # Who is involved.
 115
 116 ```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.```
 117
 118 Luke: TODO.
 119
 120 Jacob: TODO.
 121
 122 Cole: TODO.
 123
 124 Lauri: TODO.
 125
 126 Cesar: TODO
 127
 128 Tobias: I'm a full stack software engineer with a passion for FPGAs,
 129 linux kernel development, virtual machines and compilers.
 130
 131 # Financials.
 132
 133 ```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.```
 134
 135 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.
 136
 137 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.
 138
 139 TBD