Two ways to get a processor design

A chipmaker licenses a proprietary design, or builds on the open RISC-V standard.

1Proprietary processor andgraphics designs ↓Licensed designs built on the seller's own instructionset.ArmImagination Technologies2RISC-V designs ↓Designs built on the open RISC-V instruction set.Oxmiq LabsSiFiveor1Proprietary processor andgraphics designs ↓Licensed designs built on the seller's owninstruction set.ArmImagination Technologies2RISC-V designs ↓Designs built on the open RISC-Vinstruction set.Oxmiq LabsSiFive

Box 1 sells designs built on its own instruction set, which a chipmaker pays to use. Box 2 builds designs on RISC-V, an instruction set anyone may use without a licence fee. Tap a title in the diagram to jump to its companies.

1

Proprietary processor and graphics designs 2 companies

These companies design processors and graphics engines and license them to chipmakers, who pay for each design and each chip.

Arm logoArmArm designs the processors in almost every smartphone, and licenses them to chipmakers. It has a large engineering presence in India.BengaluruHiring now
Imagination Technologies logoImagination TechnologiesImagination, with engineers in Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad, licenses the graphics engines inside many phones and cars.
The tech, explainedProcessor IP licensingGPU and NPU IP
2

RISC-V designs 2 companies

RISC-V is an open instruction set that anyone may use. These companies build and license designs on it.

Oxmiq Labs logoOxmiq LabsOxmiq Labs, with engineers in Hyderabad, is designing graphics and AI engines on RISC-V to license to other companies.HyderabadHired recently
SiFive logoSiFiveSiFive, with engineers in Bengaluru, licenses processor designs built on RISC-V.
How it all worksSemiconductorsDesigned in Bengaluru, printed layer by layer abroad.
See how it works →

What's changing

The open processor.

RISC-V lets any company build a processor without paying for the instruction set. It is spreading from small chips into phones, cars and AI, and India's own chip projects use it.

Read moreProcessor IP licensing
← Previous in Semiconductors and chip designProcessor and GPU makersNext in Semiconductors and chip design →AI chip start-ups
Elsewhere in Semiconductors and chip design:Analog, power and microcontroller chipmakersConnectivity and wireless chipsMemory chips and storage drivesChip design software (EDA)Chip manufacturing and test equipment

Companies: ingrid's company map. Hiring signals: postings feed of 5 Nov 2026.