JFE Shoji Electronics Signs Sales Agent Agreement with Andes Technology

Accelerating Next-Generation SoC Development with RISC-V IP Core in Japan

Hsinchu, Taiwan – July 24, 2025 – Andes Technology, a leading supplier of high-efficiency, low-power 32/64-bit RISC-V processor cores and Founding Premier member of RISC-V International and JFE Shoji Electronics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Otemachi Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President : Takaaki Yanagisawa) today announced a partnership where JFE Shoji Electronics will act as Andes’ distributor in Japan. This agreement enables JFE Shoji Electronics to provide Andes’ high-efficiency, low-power 32/64-bit RISC-V IP cores to Japanese customers for SoC product development.

RISC-V is attracting global interest as a new-generation processor architecture that serves as an alternative to any proprietary architecture. The RISC-V market size reached $920 million USD in 2024 and is expected to hit $3.59 billion USD by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.2%, indicating rapid expansion.

There are a few reasons why JFE Shoji Electronics decides to invest in RISC-V:

• Open standard attracts many more industry experts (compared to proprietary solutions) and leads to innovative and optimized specifications such as the RISC-V Vector Extension.
• Open standard facilitates fast ecosystem build-up with multiple vendors and potential in-house development of technical assets
• RISC-V provides better product differentiation by enabling application optimization through custom instructions and configuration extensions
• RISC-V vendors provide flexibility in licensing models and cost structures to customers

Andes is a leading company in RISC-V processor IP, providing CPU IP and support for SoC for over 20 years. According to SHD Group, the market research firm focusing on RISC-V, Andes has been the leader in RISC-V IP market share for the past 2 years. The partnership of JFE Shoji Electronics and Andes will bring the following benefits to Japan customers:

1. Extensive RISC-V solutions, including power efficient 3-stage pipeline MCU, 13-stage high performance out-of-order processors, vector processors for AI, and automotive grades cores. Andes also provides NPU IP for edge AI applications.
2. High-Performance, High-Efficiency Vector Processor family IP for AI
   • 64-bit dual-issue, 8-stage pipeline high-performance core
   • Vector Processing Unit (VPU) supporting up to 2048-bit output per instruction
   • Multi-processor configuration with up to 16 cores
3. Rich Configuration and Customization Capabilities
   • Dynamic branch prediction, cache configuration optimization, instruction set extensions
   • Andes Automated Custom Extension™ (ACE) enables flexible implementation of application-specific instructions
4. Comprehensive Development Support System
   • Andes feature-rich development environment (IDE, debugger, profiling, simulator, etc.)
   • Rich technical documentation, sample code and application notes
5. Proven Commercial Track Record and Extensive Ecosystem
   • Over 16 billion customer SoC shipments worldwide, with over 400 adopting companies (as of 2024)
   • Partnerships with many companies in SoC design, EDA, RTOS, AI, and security fields
6. Cost Optimization and Flexible Licensing Models
   • More flexible royalty structure compared to Arm
   • Maximizes performance while controlling total BOM costs

For Japanese customers planning to adopt RISC-V technology, JFE Shoji Electronics will provide comprehensive support through both technical assistance and development efficiency enhancement. With Andes Technology leading technical support and JFE Shoji Electronics providing local partnership and customer service, customers can be confident that both companies will fully support them in achieving successful SoC development.

“We are thrilled to establish a partnership with JFE Shoji Electronics, marking a significant step forward in our commitment to innovation and technological excellence.” said Frankwell Lin, Chairman and CEO of Andes Technology. “This collaboration will enable us to better serve our customers in Japan and accelerate the development of cutting-edge silicon solutions.”

“Through this collaboration, we can provide better services to our Japanese customers and accelerate the development of cutting-edge silicon solutions. RISC-V represents a significant technological option for Japanese semiconductor design companies. We are confident that the combination of Andes Technology’s expertise and JFE Shoji Electronics’ experience and proven track record will contribute to enhancing our customers’ competitiveness,” said Masakatsu Sawada, Managing Director of JFE Shoji Electronics.

About Andes Technology

As a Founding Premier member of RISC-V International and a leader in commercial CPU IP, Andes Technology (TWSE: 6533; SIN: US03420C2089; ISIN: US03420C1099) is driving the global adoption of RISC-V. Andes’ extensive RISC-V Processor IP portfolio spans from ultra-efficient 32-bit CPUs to high-performance 64-bit Out-of-Order multiprocessor coherent clusters. With advanced vector processing, DSP capabilities, the powerful Andes Automated Custom Extension (ACE) framework, end-to-end AI hardware/software stack, ISO 26262 certification with full compliance, and a robust software ecosystem, Andes Technology unlocks the full potential of RISC-V, empowering customers to accelerate innovation across AI, automotive, communications, consumer electronics, data centers, and mobile devices. Over 16 billion Andes-powered SoCs are driving innovations globally. Discover more at www.andestech.com

About JFE Shoji Electronics

Since 1986, JFE Shoji Electronics have been an electronics trading company that constantly absorbs cutting-edge technologies and leverages them to create new value and provide optimal services. JFE Shoji Electronics operates across six key business areas: semiconductor devices, foundry services, Surface Mount Technology processes, cleaning processes, high-performance materials, and data solutions (DX). Through collaboration with JFE Shoji Electronics’ extensive global network of overseas group locations, JFE Shoji Electronics is committed to delivering highly differentiated services and solutions with distinctive products in each business segment, always maintaining a customer-centric approach.

In the semiconductor business, JFE Shoji Electronics delivers ASICs, ASSPs, and foundry services, providing essential IP and various outsourcing services that are critical for creating new product value.