BritChips podcast: RED Semiconductor - Looking for 10 in 10 billion

In this episode, industry veteran James Lewis, now CEO and co-founder of RED Semiconductor, shares his extensive journey through the semiconductor industry, highlighting his current work on microprocessors optimized for AI at the edge. Discover how his team is pushing the boundaries with innovative architectures tailored for complex data processing, cryptography, and AI inference to detect minute quantities of cancerous blood cells in a sample of billions.Key Topics:* James Lewis’s career trajectory from analogue design to semiconductor startup founder* The origin story and naming of RED Semiconductor (one for Bruce Willis fans!)* The strategic choice of RISC-V architecture and open-source microprocessor foundations* Development of proprietary architectures for mathematical acceleration and AI processing at the edge* The application’s use cases: biomedical sensing, industrial control, cryptography, and AI inference* The process of simulation, FPGA testing, and planned chip production timelines* Funding journeys: from grants to seed rounds and investor support* Business models: licensing IP vs. manufacturing chips* Lessons for young entrepreneurs, especially the value of naive optimism and risk management* The future of edge AI, ambient intelligence, and the company’s vision for growth over the next 3-5 yearsTimestamps (approximate)00:00 - Introduction to James Lewis02:14 - James’ diverse career path from analogue circuits to startup success06:24 - The founding and growth of Oxford Semiconductor11:08 - Tackling GPS spoofing and jamming with antenna array processing13:45 - The move toward custom microprocessor architectures for AI and edge applications18:42 - The significance of RISC-V in modern microprocessor design21:02 - How RED employs RISC-V for mathematical acceleration and AI at the edge25:26 - The critical role of situational awareness and AI’s response in edge devices30:03 - From simulation to FPGA testing: the process of hardware validation36:15 - Collaborative biomedical sensing project and its hierarchical data processing challenges41:20 - The pathway from prototype to production chips via the government-sponsored ChipStartUK incubator and the Silicon Catalyst UK programme45:57 - Funding strategies: grants, seed funding, and investor support for scaling49:23 - Vision for the next 3-5 years: product commercialisation, licensing, and chip sales52:57 - Advice for aspiring semiconductor entrepreneurs: follow your dream yet manage risksResources & Links:* RISC-V Architecture* Silicon Catalyst Accelerator Program* Verilog Hardware Description Language* RED SemiconductorThe BritChips Podcast is proudly sponsored by Silicon Catalyst UK, Official Partner of the government-funded ChipStartUK semiconductor incubator. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anttheantidote.substack.com