QFOUNDRY
Specification to Silicon in Minutes
A vertically integrated, AI-native hardware design automation platform with embedded QCortex intelligence layer. Transforms high-level specifications into production-ready ASIC tape-outs, FPGA bitstreams, and quantum control electronics from a single declarative spec.
Single Spec → Triple Output
Hardware Design Is Fundamentally Broken
Traditional EDA workflows bolt AI onto legacy tool chains. QFoundry is built from the ground up with intelligence at every layer.
The Fragmentation Crisis
Chip design takes 12-24 months from specification to tape-out. Separate teams, tools, and processes are required for ASIC vs. FPGA vs. quantum - massive duplication and fragmentation at every stage.
Custom ASIC development costs $5M-$20M, putting cutting-edge silicon out of reach for most companies. Engineers spend 80% of their time on verification plumbing, not innovation.
The Edge AI Imperative
As AI moves to the edge, demand for custom silicon is exploding. But the tools have not evolved - the EDA industry still runs on 30-year-old paradigms. QFoundry closes this gap.
Five Design Layers + QCortex Intelligence Spine
Each layer has well-defined interfaces. QCortex agents operate at every stage with appropriate autonomy levels.
Specification & Configuration
YAML/JSON declarative specs with Pydantic validation. AI-assisted detection of conflicting parameters. Design space preview via rapid exploration before committing.
Hardware Generation
RTL generation using Chisel, SpinalHDL, or Amaranth via fine-tuned code LLM. Leverages Rocket Chip, BOOM, VexRiscv, CVA6 open-source cores. Autoresearch-style rapid iteration.
Verification & Simulation
Auto-generated testbenches, coverage-directed fuzzing via RLM, formal property inference. Verilator + cocotb + SymbiYosys. LLM-based corner case identification.
Physical Implementation
ASIC path: Yosys + OpenROAD with RLM placement/routing. FPGA path: Vivado/Quartus/nextpnr. Surrogate models predict timing closure before expensive PnR runs.
Tape-Out & Manufacturing
DRC/LVS verification, yield prediction, DFT insertion. Integration with ChipIgnite and Tiny Tapeout for affordable prototyping ($50-$15K per MPW run). Silicon manifest output for seamless handoff to QFabric and sister entities.
QCortex - Three Operating Modes
Not one monolithic AI, but a coordinated hierarchy of domain-expert agents with appropriate autonomy at each layer.
Operating Modes
Mode 1: Rapid Exploration
Autoresearch-inspired. 500-1,000+ iterations overnight. Multi-objective Pareto optimization (power, performance, area, timing). Surrogate models for PPA estimation in seconds.
Mode 2: Deep Verification
Human-in-the-loop. AI-directed test generation, coverage-directed fuzzing, anomaly detection on waveforms. Full audit trail for every recommendation. Pre-tape-out risk scoring.
Mode 3: Continuous Learning
Every design feeds back into models. Synthesis patterns, timing closure predictors, DRC violation patterns, yield correlation. This is QFoundry's primary competitive moat.
Domain-Specific Model Stack
- Frontier LLM (Claude/GPT-class) - design orchestration
- Fine-tuned Code LLM - RTL generation from HDL corpora
- Reinforcement Learning Models - placement, routing, synthesis tuning
- Predictive Surrogate Models - fast PPA estimation
- Anomaly Detection - flags deviations from known-good patterns
- Domain Classification - DRC prediction, yield estimation
Six-Agent Architecture
Specialized agents with well-defined responsibilities and structured inter-agent communication.
Planner Agent
Interprets spec, proposes architecture choices
Generator Agent
Writes RTL, Makefile, cocotb harnesses
Verifier Agent
Runs tests, analyzes waveforms, reports coverage
PnR Agent
Controls synthesis/place-route, interprets logs
Learner Agent
Updates models from each design run
QA/Audit Agent
Sign-off checks, reproducibility verification
QFoundry Product Ecosystem
Tiered offerings from student exploration to enterprise tape-out.
QFoundry Playground
Free tier for students/hobbyists. Limited iterations, community support.
QFoundry Pro
$5K/seat/year. Full exploration, FPGA bitstreams, priority support.
QFoundry Enterprise
Custom pricing. On-prem option, ASIC tape-out pipeline, dedicated success team.
QFoundry Quantum
Premium add-on for quantum control electronics targeting superconducting/photonic/trapped-ion platforms.
QFabric Integration
Seamless handoff to QFabric for physical semiconductor manufacturing.
Training & Certification
QFoundry Academy for team upskilling, certification programs.
Technology Stack
HDL & IP Cores
- Chisel / SpinalHDL / Amaranth for generator backends
- Rocket Chip, BOOM, VexRiscv, CVA6 open-source cores
- Custom IP generator templates for DSP, memory controllers, peripherals
EDA & Verification
- Verilator for fast simulation
- cocotb + pytest for testbench automation
- SymbiYosys for formal verification
- Yosys + OpenROAD for open-source ASIC flow
- Vivado / Quartus / nextpnr for FPGA
Process Node Ladder
Progressive path from affordable prototyping to advanced node production.
ChipIgnite / Tiny Tapeout - $50-$15K prototyping
SkyWater / GlobalFoundries - moderate volume
TSMC via partners - higher performance
Enterprise customers via foundry relationships
Business Model
SaaS Subscriptions
Tiered platform access from free playground to enterprise. Recurring ARR with land-and-expand.
Tape-Out Services
Revenue share on successful tape-outs facilitated through QFoundry pipeline.
Training & Support
Professional services, custom integration, QFoundry Academy certifications.