Nvidia Invests in RISC-V Chip Startup SiFive

Chip giant takes stake in SiFive, a startup designing processors using the open-source RISC-V architecture.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:41pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a complex RISC-V processor chip with intricate circuitry and neon lights, representing the innovative technology behind SiFive's open-source chip designs.Nvidia's investment in RISC-V chip startup SiFive signals the tech giant's interest in exploring alternative processor architectures beyond its core GPU business.Santa Clara Today

Nvidia, the prominent graphics and AI chip company, has made an investment in SiFive, a startup that designs processors using the open-source RISC-V instruction set architecture. SiFive announced it has raised $400 million in an oversubscribed funding round, with Nvidia joining other major investors like Apollo Global Management and Point72 Turion.

Why it matters

This investment signals Nvidia's interest in diversifying beyond its core GPU business and exploring alternative chip architectures like RISC-V, which offers an open-source and potentially more cost-effective alternative to proprietary chip designs. SiFive's RISC-V processors could challenge Nvidia's dominance in areas like data centers, edge computing, and embedded systems.

The details

SiFive, based in Santa Clara, California, designs processors using the RISC-V open-source instruction set architecture. The company announced it has raised $400 million in a funding round led by Atreides Management, with participation from Nvidia, Apollo Global Management, Point72 Turion, and others. Nvidia's investment in SiFive suggests the chip giant is exploring ways to expand beyond its traditional GPU business and capitalize on the growing interest in RISC-V as an alternative to proprietary architectures like x86 and Arm.

  • SiFive announced the $400 million funding round on April 9, 2026.

The players

Nvidia

A prominent American technology company that designs graphics processing units (GPUs), AI chips, and other semiconductor products.

SiFive

A chip startup based in Santa Clara, California that designs processors using the open-source RISC-V instruction set architecture.

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The takeaway

Nvidia's investment in SiFive highlights the growing importance of the RISC-V architecture as an alternative to traditional chip designs. This move could help Nvidia expand its reach beyond GPUs and into new markets like data centers, edge computing, and embedded systems where RISC-V processors are gaining traction.