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Silicon Design
The chips themselves — GPUs, ASICs, networking silicon, analog power ICs, memory, and the electronic design tools used to create them. This is where the compute starts.
44companies
5chokepoints
5sub-roles
Chokepoints in this layer
5 positions here have no real alternative supplier. AVGO (custom ai accelerator chips), NVDA (ai gpu and systems), ARM (chip architecture licensor), SNPS (chip design eda tools) and MU (memory and storage chips). A disruption at any one ripples through the entire chain downstream.
AI & Compute Chips
8 companiesAMDAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.AI GPU and CPU designerAVGOBroadcom Inc.CHOKEPOINTCustom AI accelerator chipsCBRSCerebras Systems Inc.Wafer-scale AI processorsINTCIntel CorporationAI chips and foundryLSCCLattice Semiconductor CorporationLow-power FPGA chipsMRVLMarvell Technology, Inc.Custom AI silicon designerNVDANVIDIA CorporationCHOKEPOINTAI GPU and systemsQCOMQUALCOMM IncorporatedAI mobile processors
EDA & Chip IP
9 companiesAIPArteris, Inc.Chip interconnect IPARMArm Holdings plc American Depositary SharesCHOKEPOINTChip architecture licensorATOMAtomera IncorporatedTransistor enhancement IPCDNSCadence Design Systems, Inc.Chip design softwareCEVACEVA, Inc.DSP and AI IPPDFSPDF Solutions, Inc.Semiconductor yield analyticsQUIKQuickLogic CorporationEmbedded FPGA chipsSNPSSynopsys, Inc.CHOKEPOINTChip design EDA toolsSVCOSilvaco Group, Inc. Common StockSemiconductor process simulation
Networking Silicon
6 companiesALABAstera Labs, Inc. Common StockAI connectivity hardwareCRDOCredo Technology Group Holding LtdHigh-speed connectivity chipsFABCFabric.AI, Inc.AI networking siliconMTSIMACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.Analog and mixed-signal chipsMXLMaxLinear, Inc.Connectivity and networking chipsSMTCSemtech CorporationSignal integrity semiconductors
Analog & Power Chips
18 companiesADIAnalog Devices, Inc.Analog and mixed-signal ICsALGMAllegro MicroSystems, Inc.Magnetic sensor ICsAOSLAlpha and Omega Semiconductor LimitedPower semiconductor chipsDIODDiodes IncorporatedDiscrete and analog chipsIPWRIdeal Power Inc.Solid-state power switchesMCHPMicrochip Technology IncorporatedMicrocontrollers and analog chipsMPWRMonolithic Power Systems, Inc.Power management ICsNVTSNavitas Semiconductor CorpGallium nitride power chipsNXPINXP Semiconductors N.V.Mixed-signal semiconductorsONON Semiconductor CorporationPower and sensing chipsPOWIPower Integrations, Inc.High-voltage power ICsSITMSiTime CorporationPrecision timing chipsSLABSilicon Laboratories Inc.Mixed-signal connectivity chipsSTMSTMicroelectronics N.V.Broad analog semiconductorsSWKSSkyworks Solutions, Inc.RF and analog chipsTXNTexas Instruments IncorporatedAnalog and embedded chipsVSHVishay Intertechnology, Inc.Discrete semiconductors and passivesWOLFWolfspeed Inc.Silicon carbide power chips
Memory
3 companiesDeep teardownComing soon
Inside the silicon design layer
A full physical decomposition of this layer of the buildout — what goes where, who makes it, and where the bottlenecks are. Links here when the teardown publishes under Learn.
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