GlobalPlatform launches Pavona: open-source silicon with production-grade post-quantum cryptography
GlobalPlatform launched Pavona, an open-source silicon distribution delivering production-quality, certification-ready security IP and the first openly available post-quantum cryptography stack for embedded silicon. The platform includes two TSMC 3nm taped-out reference root-of-trust designs and supports secure-by-default chip development for AI accelerators, datacenters, automotive, and IoT. Founding members include Meta, Qualcomm Technologies, Tenstorrent, and University of Oxford, signaling broad industry commitment to open, certification-aligned hardware security.
Pavona's cryptographic stack ships with both classical algorithms (AES, SHA2/SHA3, RSA, elliptic curves) and three families of NIST-standardized post-quantum algorithms: ML-KEM, ML-DSA, and SLH-DSA. ZeroRISC, Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy, and Academia Sinica demonstrated 6–9x performance improvements for the newly standardized ML-KEM and ML-DSA algorithms on embedded silicon, with 36–75% frequency gains at near-zero area cost. This research is included in Pavona from day one, making it the first open-source silicon platform to ship production-grade PQC.
The platform introduces a modular distribution model—a composition engine and curated IP library—enabling integrators to select, configure, and assemble silicon subsystems tailored to their architecture. Unlike monolithic designs, Pavona supports mixed deployments across datacenter servers, AI accelerators, automotive controllers, and IoT devices. The project reflects a broader shift: open-source silicon with peer-reviewed research backed by a direct path to commercial-grade integration, creating a feedback loop between cutting-edge cryptography research and manufacturable designs.
For architects deploying security-critical silicon after 2030, Pavona's open root-of-trust and PQC-by-default approach removes vendor lock-in and audit burden. Organizations responsible for long-lived infrastructure (automotive, industrial, aerospace, medical implants) should begin evaluation of Pavona-derived designs now. If you are shipping custom silicon stacks for edge AI or connected systems, the TSMC 3nm reference designs and open governance model provide a foundation for quantum-resistant, cryptographically sound architectures without proprietary single-vendor dependencies.
Sources
- Primary source
- GlobalPlatform Launches Pavona: An Open Silicon Distribution with Production-Grade Post-Quantum Cryptography
“GlobalPlatform launched Pavona, an open-source silicon platform featuring certification-ready security IP and what it describes as the first openly available post-quantum cryptography stack for embedded silicon.”
- Pavona distribution details
“ZeroRISC, the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy, and Academia Sinica presented results from a multi-year hardware-software co-design collaboration demonstrating 6–9x performance improvements for the newly standardized ML-KEM and ML-DSA post-quantum algorithms on embedded silicon, with 36–75% improvements in maximum operating frequency at near-zero area cost.”
- Pavona founding coalition
“Founding members including Meta, Qualcomm Technologies, Tenstorrent and University of Oxford are backing the initiative to advance open, certification-aligned hardware security and post-quantum cryptography adoption.”