Chip lifecycle / Startup lifecycle / Problem & Market Thesis

Problem & Market Thesis

Stating the problem a new chip could solve better than what exists today, who has it and why now, and testing that thesis with potential customers, technical experts and public market data before a company is formed or money is raised.

Where this stage sits

This stage with its neighbours. Each row is a discipline active here, shaded by how mature its work is by the end of each stage.

Stage

^AO01 Problem & Market ThesisYou are here

^A02 Founding Team & Company Formation

^A03 Proof of Concept (Simulation & FPGA Prototype)

Company, funding and customers milestones

TDThesis drafted TAThesis accepted CFCompany formed PSPre-seed funding in place

Engineering milestones

CPConcept proven

Founders and company strategy^O

0.0

0.3

Customers and design partners^A

0.0^AA

0.3

Funding and finance^A

0.0

0.3^D

Legal, IP and agreements^A

0.0

0.3^A

Program, people and quality^A

0.0^A

EDA, compute and design infrastructure^A

0.0

Architecture and modelling: test chip^A

0.0

0.3^A

Proof of concept and FPGA prototyping^A

0.0

0.3^A

Design and verification: test chip^D

0.0

IP sourcing and integration: test chip^A

0.0

Physical design, DFT and sign-off: test chip^A

0.0

Foundry and shuttle operations: test chip^A

0.0

Packaging, test and qualification: test chip^A

0.0

Bring-up, evaluation boards and validation: test chip^A

0.0

Firmware, software and tools: test chip^D

0.0

Key0.0Planned0.3Early draft0.5Draft0.8Evidence backed1.0CompleteFreezeFrozenFaded block: still at the step shown before it, Held below Complete or Maintained under change control once complete or frozenFreeze or sign-off pointMilestone for one item; the rest of the work carries onMilestone gateYou are here: Problem & Market ThesisAI impactDisruption (red)Augmentation (blue)Opportunity (green)How AI is changing the workWhat the steps mean What the codes mean

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Stages

Problem & Market Thesis (this stage)^AO
Founding Team & Company Formation^A
Proof of Concept (Simulation & FPGA Prototype)^A

Company, funding and customers milestones

Engineering milestones

Concept proven (CP)

Disciplines

Founders and company strategy^O
- Problem & Market Thesis: maturity 0.0, Planned. The thesis is accepted and the founders have decided to form a company around it; the strategy is a problem, a customer and a decision to start.
- Founding Team & Company Formation: maturity 0.3, Early draft. The company is formed with a founding charter and a first hiring plan, and the strategy has an outline: what to build first and the funding path to a test chip.; Founders committed full time
- Proof of Concept (Simulation & FPGA Prototype): maturity 0.3, Early draft. The company is formed with a founding charter and a first hiring plan, and the strategy has an outline: what to build first and the funding path to a test chip.
Customers and design partners^A
- : maturity 0.0, Planned

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