RISC-V chip startup Zhichuangxin, founded by ex-Alibaba T-Head exec, secures Pre-A funding, partners with Kaihong to advance 'dual open-source' ecosystem

Zhichuangxin (Shenzhen Zhichuangxin Microelectronics Co., Ltd.) completed Pre-A funding from TusStar VC, an industry fund initiated by Kaihong, Zhuhai Zhengling Group, and Yingguang Technology. Founded in 2022 by former Alibaba T-Head executive Chen Hao, the core team includes alumni from Alibaba T-Head, ZTE, and HiSilicon, focusing on RISC-V processors and SoC chips. Post-funding, Zhichuangxin will collaborate with Kaihong on integrating OpenHarmony and RISC-V, exploring a 'dual open-source' software-hardware path, starting with high-volume smart home deployments. The company has already mass-produced multiple chips with built-in RISC-V CPUs, shipping millions annually, and entered the national computing infrastructure domain. For RISC-V chip design teams and smart terminal manufacturers, this partnership lowers the barrier to migrating from foreign processors, providing complete development tools and OS adaptation support, accelerating the large-scale deployment of domestic software and hardware ecosystems.