We’re extending the Open-V campaign by 30 days in the hope that by then we will have official sign-off on a grant to provide the remaining funds needed to make the Open-V microcontroller a reality. Read on for details and what this means to backers.

Background

We launched the Open-V crowdfunding campaign nearly three months ago, just in time for the 5th RISC-V Workshop. The campaign was originally scheduled to end on January 5, but, encouraged by some significant progress with potential strategic partnerships, we extended the campaign until today, February 20. About four weeks ago, we announced one such partnership with SiFive. We were hoping to announce a few others before today, but the timings of these partnerships simply haven’t aligned with our campaign end date.

Who is Funding the Grant?

We can’t reveal who is considering helping the Open-V project right now. What we can say is that they are an interested, credible partner and that we will make a joint announcement should the grant come through.

How Do You Know the Grant Will Be Awarded?

We don’t - there’s always the chance the grant won’t come through. However, with the help of Crowd Supply, we’ve been working very closely with this organization to develop a proposal to best support the open silicon community. The proposal was recently submitted for final internal review.

Will This Extension Affect the Delivery Schedule?

This extension will not affect the delivery schedule. In fact, we are currently working at full capacity toward the May tapeout with SiFive, as originally scheduled.

What Happens If Funding Doesn’t Come Through?

If the grant doesn’t come through, then the campaign will end and backers will not be charged. Obviously, without an alternative means of funding production, the Open-V project will remain a dream.

Is My Pledge Important?

Yes! The considerable community support Open-V has enjoyed during the campaign is one of the main reasons the organization in question is considering funding the project at all. Every backer and every pledge has contributed to that effort and gotten us to where we are now. While it’s true that if this grant funding comes through it will mean most of the Open-V project will be funded from a single source, it’s also true that the project wouldn’t have happened at all without the support of backers like you.

Questions, Concerns, and Suggestions

Please get in touch if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions! We hope you’ll continue supporting the Open-V project, but of course understand if anything about the current situation doesn’t sit well with you. If you’d like to cancel your order, simply contact Crowd Supply with your order number.

We hope to have good news for you soon!

Abrazos,
Elkim and the OnChip Team