April 29th: Marking Breakthroughs in RISC-V and VLSI Each Year April 29th isn't just another date on the calendar for the VSD community—it marks a series of pivotal milestones that have significantly shaped our journey in the realms of RISC-V and VLSI skilling. As we reflect on the events of the past three years, we're not just recounting achievements; we're celebrating the spirit of innovation and resilience that has driven VSD to global recognition. The Spark of Innovation: April 29, 2022 It all began on a spring day in 2022. MoS Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, armed with a vision to revolutionize the semiconductor industry, proposed an ambitious idea. This wasn’t just about introducing another educational course—it was about pioneering a transformative approach to skilling in RISC-V and VLSI technologies. His proposal was to leverage the revolutionary RISC-V architecture, developed by Berkeley, and integrate it into a comprehensive learning program using the open-source RTL2GDS utility OpenLANE/OpenROAD by efabless/DARPA and open-source PDKs by Skywater. This was the seed that would grow into something monumental. From Concept to Reality: April 29, 2023 Fast forward to 2023, and the seed has blossomed. The concept envisioned by Shri Chandrasekhar converted into VSDSquadron. Launched with the dual goals of education and practical application, VSDSquadron wasn't just a course—it was a movement. Learners could now master RISC-V and VLSI from end-to-end, not just in theory but in practice, using real RISC-V chips to test basic applications. This hands-on approach ensured that the knowledge gained was not just academic but deeply rooted in real-world application. Global Recognition: April 29, 2024 Today, as we mark another April 29th in 2024, VSDSquadron stands as a testament to global excellence in semiconductor skilling. What started as an innovative idea has now been embraced worldwide as the ultimate skilling product for RISC-V and semiconductors. The global acceptance of VSDSquadron underscores a critical understanding in our industry: true mastery comes from the application of knowledge on tangible, real-world products. The Road Travelled The road to this point was not without challenges. VSDSquadron was built on a decade's worth of VSD’s content, demanding not only a synthesis of vast amounts of information but also a seamless integration of multiple open-source technologies. The journey from an idea to a globally recognized product required patience, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Each year, as April 29th comes around, we do more than mark the anniversary of these milestones. We celebrate the spirit of our community—a community that thrives on sharing knowledge and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in semiconductor technology. As we look forward, let's carry this spirit of innovation into the future, continually striving for excellence and making each April 29th a beacon of new possibilities and achievements. Here's to many more years of innovation, learning, and success!