# Croc: An End-to-End Open-Source Extensible RISC-V MCU Platform to Democratize Silicon

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.05090 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.05090/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 7 Feb 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [ETHEREAL: A 25.6-μs/inf. Low-latency Event-driven Graph-neural-network Processor for High-resolution Vision at the Edge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.17787/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Ensuring a continuous and growing influx of skilled chip designers and a smooth path from education to innovation are key goals for several national and international "Chips Acts". Silicon democratization can greatly benefit from end-to-end (from silicon technology to software) free and open-source (OS) platforms. We present Croc, an extensible RISC-V microcontroller platform explicitly targeted at hands-on teaching and innovation. Croc features a streamlined OS synthesis and an end-to-end OS implementation flow, ensuring full, unconstrained access to the design, the design automation tools, and the implementation technology. Croc uses the industry-proven, open-source CVE2 core, implementing the RV32I(EMC) instruction set architecture (ISA), enabling students to define and implement their own ISA extensions. MLEM, a tapeout of Croc in IHP's open 130 nm node completed in eight weeks by a team of just two students, demonstrates the platform's viability for hands-on teaching in schools, universities, or even on a self-education path. In spring 2025, ETH Zurich will utilize Croc for its curricular VLSI class, involving up to 80 students, producing up to 40 OS application-specific integrated circuit layouts, and completing up to five student-led system-on-chip tapeouts. The lecture notes and exercises are already available under a Creative Commons license.