Startups eye opportunities amid analog industry consolidation

An ongoing semiconductor industry consolidation has been somewhat challenging for companies that consume analog chips in their designs. However, these conditions have created opportunities for startups to fill the gap, meeting design engineers’ needs on a smaller scale and keep the analog semiconductors industry vibrant.

Many companies using semiconductors need highly specific options, and it does not make sense for them to approach some of the industry’s largest companies. Many of those have minimum order requirements, so large chipmakers are usually unwilling to provide the level of customization required.

Here, startups like Orca Semiconductor are willing to serve designers seeking specialized hardware. Catering to that market is increasingly important, particularly as many OEMs explore ways to commercialize innovative new devices. If a proposed product seems too far-fetched, large semiconductor companies may not want to associate with it. Semiconductor executives in these large outfits may determine that it’s safer to continue working with well-established customers.

Orca’s first commercial product is an advanced power management integrated circuit (PMIC) for wearable devices. The component also has a battery-preserving feature that reduces current draw during inactive periods.

ASSP business model

The company’s CEO Andrew Baker clarified that Orca’s business model does not revolve around making custom chips in the traditional sense. Instead, it will make analog-based application-specific standard products (ASSPs) rather than focusing on custom silicon. The company’s leaders believe this will keep the business agile and free it from the slow decision-making processes that generally stifle innovation at larger analog chipmakers.

Figure 1 Orca Semi has recently unveiled an IO-Link transceiver for smart factory environments.

OEMs needing analog semiconductors rely on the way chipmaker’s resources are set up and are ready to serve them. However, the industry’s broader consolidation has made it more challenging for some would-be customers to find analog companies that will work with them.

Here, outfits like Spirit Electronics demonstrate what can happen when designers have more available options. Although not a startup, this business specializes in analog and mixed-signal ICs.

It provides design engineers with an alternative to the long lead times that other outlets often have. One thing that sets this company apart is that it manages its foundry services under one roof rather than outsourcing. That strategy gives it more control and allows the business to meet emerging needs.

Analog in machine learning

Another notable company in the analog design space is Aspinity. The company’s business model addresses the growing need for always-on devices, such as those that continually listen for inputs and respond accordingly.

Since such devices process all analog sounds and not just particular command words or other cues, they can be incredibly power-intensive. However, a notable characteristic of Aspinity’s components is how well they conserve energy.

Figure 2 Aspinity’s AML100 chip runs machine learning completely within the analog domain.

The company first gained attention by releasing an analog chip for machine learning. It consumes less than 20 microamps of power when determining the data’s relevancy. It also shrinks that information’s size more than 100 times, freeing up memory space on the respective device.

These examples show that startups and smaller companies have emerged to meet a need driven by the analog semiconductor industry’s consolidation. Not all electronic outfits can approach larger analog chipmakers with their orders, but the above-mentioned businesses are well-positioned to assist.

Related Content

• Aspinity Expands into Audio Event Detection
• AI Startup Aspinity Launches Low-Power Analog Chip
• Analog startup eyes ASSPs for wearables, smart factory
• Audio chip moves machine learning from digital to analog
• IO-Link transceiver bolsters smart factory productivity, intelligence

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