European Processor Initiative Phase 1,
the European microprocessor roadmap
Launched in December 2018, the project of the European Processor Initiative (EPI) consortium aims to bring to market a high performance, low-power microprocessor and ensure that the key competences for high-end microprocessor design remain in Europe. The European Union’s Horizon 2020 program funds this project with a special Framework Partnership Agreement.
The 1st phase of the project was completed in November 2021, delivering cutting-edge technologies for European sovereignty on time and within a limited budget, despite the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes the definition of the architectural specifications of Rhea, the 1st generation European microprocessor implementation and its future derivates. With 29 RISC-V cores, the Arm Neoverse V1 architecture used by SiPearl to design Rhea will offer an effective, scalable and customisable solution for HPC applications.
The successful completion of this phase paves the way for the second phase of the project, which had kicked off in January 2022.
The EPI consortium includes experts in all the relevant areas: the HPC research community, major supercomputing centres, the computer system, automotive, and silicon industry, as well as the potential scientific and industrial users. SiPearl is the private company that emerged from the consortium and its 28th member.