Sondrel launches Architectural Study Service

Having a concept for a new chip is only the first step, the next is to work out if it is feasible to make it at the right price point. Most companies don’t have this expertise in house which is why Sondrel has launched its new Architectural Study Service.

“As one of the world’s largest chip design consultancies, we have the ability to look at the idea for a new chip and respond with an Architectural Study report of how to make it and how much it will cost with a high degree of accuracy,” explained Graham Curren, Sondrel’s CEO and Founder. “We have designed hundreds of chips so we can draw on this wide variety of experience to propose how it could be done, what technologies are needed and what it would cost per chip. Even before we undertake this detailed study, our knowledge means we provide a quick indication of costs that gives an indication of viability.”

Sondrel has been trialling this service and has received very positive feedback. At the early concept stage of a new chip, most companies have no idea of the time or costs to make it. The high-level costed plan for developing and manufacturing a chip that Sondrel has provided has proved invaluable in several cases as it has helped companies refine their specification and fine tune features to achieve the target end price. In other cases, having these figures enabled the start-up to return to investors with a solid case for a further, successful investment round.

“We believe that this Architectural Study Service is a first for the chip design industry,” said Graham Curren. “The electronics industry is always full of new and exciting ideas and now we can help companies know which ones could be turned into commercial realities so that they can focus their efforts on them.”