Daniel Schultz
Founder & Lead Engineer
I’m Daniel, the founder of aesc silicon. My journey into chip design began in an unexpected way – as an embedded software engineer working with Yocto, Linux, and U-Boot. In the open-source software world, collaboration and transparency aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re fundamental.
In my free time, I started exploring open-source IP cores and chip design, applying the same principles that made Linux so successful. I never even considered closed IP cores – why would I? In Linux development, open-source meant getting help from the community, receiving valuable feedback, and building something better together.
That philosophy led to something remarkable: ElemRV, which became Europe’s first end-to-end open-source microcontroller. I taped it out with IHP’s Open PDK in May 2024 and successfully brought it up in February 2025. The second revision followed in April 2025.
The experience convinced me that the semiconductor industry needed what software had proven decades ago: that open-source isn’t just viable – it’s superior. So I quit my job and founded aesc silicon to make open-source chip design accessible to everyone.
Technology Focus
RISC-V
aesc silicon specializes exclusively in RISC-V based designs, the open standard instruction set architecture that’s transforming the processor industry. RISC-V’s open nature aligns perfectly with our philosophy and enables true innovation without licensing restrictions.
The Journey
The Realization
Working with ElemRV, I experienced firsthand what I’d always known from software: when you can simply ask questions and everyone can help you, innovation accelerates. The same community-driven approach that makes Linux robust and reliable works just as well for silicon.
The turning point came during the ElemRV project. Not only did I successfully tape out Europe’s first fully open-source microcontroller, but I saw the power of the community in action. Questions were answered, problems were solved collaboratively, and the design improved through collective expertise.
Traditional chip design relies on expensive, closed IP cores with restrictive licenses and vendor lock-in. Coming from the open-source software world, this seemed backwards. We’d already proven there was a better way.
That’s why I founded aesc silicon – to bring the transparency, collaboration, and cost-efficiency of open-source to the semiconductor industry. Based in Germany, near Frankfurt, we’re building not just chips, but a community around open-source IP.
Key Milestones
May 2024
Successfully taped out ElemRV with IHP’s Open PDK – Europe’s first end-to-end open-source microcontroller.
February 2025
ElemRV powered on successfully, validating the entire open-source design flow from RTL to silicon.
April 2025
Second revision of ElemRV taped out, incorporating improvements and expanding capabilities.
2026
Launched aesc silicon to bring open-source chip design services to companies and developers worldwide.
Core Values
Open by Default
Transparency isn’t optional – it’s fundamental. Open-source means better designs, faster debugging, and community-driven improvements.
Community First
The best solutions come from collaboration. We build and contribute to communities that push the entire industry forward.
Proven Results
We don’t just talk about open-source – we’ve proven it works with real silicon. ElemRV demonstrates what’s possible.
RISC-V Focus
We specialize in RISC-V because it embodies the open-source philosophy at the instruction set level.
Let’s Build Together
Whether you’re designing your first chip or you’re an experienced engineer looking for a better way, aesc silicon is here to help. Let’s bring the proven success of open-source to your next project.