Codeplay
Codeplay Software Limited is a privately owned company based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Codeplay creates software based on open programming standards so that application developers can program complex processors using familiar standards and tools. Codeplay provides solutions and services into markets from High Performance Compute (HPC) to edge compute such as ADAS and security cameras. Codeplay is involved in bridging the gap between processor designers and AI application developers. Codeplay works extensively with open standards and is strongly involved with standards organizations such as Khronos, HSA and MISRA.
![]() Codeplay logo | |
Type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Technology |
Founded | 2002 |
Founder | Andrew Richards |
Headquarters | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK (Head office)[1] London, England, UK (Registered office)[2] |
Key people | Jim Nicholas (Chairman) Andrew Richards (CEO) Charles Macfarlane (CBO) Karon Davis(COO) Ruyman Reyes Castro (CTO) |
Products | ComputeAorta ComputeCpp Acoran |
Number of employees | 70 (2020) |
History

Codeplay was founded in 2002 by Andrew Richards, an experienced games developer, and formerly head of Software Development at Eutechnyx. Initial funding for the company was provided by Jez San OBE, founder of Argonaut Games and ARC International. Codeplay began its business developing compilers aimed at games programmers, releasing its VectorC compiler for PlayStation 2 and x86 Windows PC. In 2005, Codeplay shifted focus to developing bespoke C/C++ compilers for processor designers, and has since expanded its services to include development of debuggers, runtimes, and testing tools.
In 2011, Codeplay announced that it had provided the real-time car damage system for NASCAR The Game: 2011, utilizing its Offload technology.
In 2013, Codeplay formed an R&D division, and received Investors in People accreditation.
In 2014, Codeplay announced that it was working on an implementation of the Khronos Group's new provisional standard for heterogeneous computing, SYCL. Codeplay Distinguished Engineer, Michael Wong, currently chairs the working group for this standard within the Khronos Group.
In 2017, Codeplay and Renesas announced a collaboration to deliver ComputeAorta, Codeplay’s OpenCL open standard-based software framework for Renesas R-Car system-on-chips (SoCs).[3]
In 2018, Codeplay received investment from Foresight, with part of the funds from the Foresight Williams Technology EIS Fund.[4]
In 2019, Codeplay announced collaboration with Imagination Technologies to enable TensorFlow native support for PowerVR GPUs via optimised open-source SYCL libraries.[5]
In 2020, Codeplay announced collaboration with NSITEXE and Kyoto Microcomputer to develop OpenCL and SYCL support for RISC-V[6]
In 2021, Codeplay announced collaboration with NERSC on SYCL for next-generation supercomputers in US National Labs, Perlmutter in ANL and with ORNL.[7]
In 2021, Codeplay announced collaboration with ANL and ORNL to strengthen open standard SYCL™ software support for Frontier Supercomputer using AMD GPUs[8]
In 2021, Codeplay announced partnership with eSol to enable open standards programming with eMCOS® RTOS platform for automotive applications[9]
In 2021, Codeplay announced partnership with Andes to achieve Software First SoC design for AI-based applications using RISC-V Vector Processors[10]
Products
Acoran
Acoran is the production-ready, fully-open software platform for exascale and artificial intelligence. Compatible with a wide range of open standards (SYCL, OpenCL, SPIR-V and oneAPI) as well as supporting high quality full-featured frameworks like TensorFlow or Eigen; Acoran takes software acceleration out of the lab and into production.[11]
ComputeCpp
ComputeCpp, an implementation of the Khronos® open standard SYCL, is the world's first SYCL v1.2.1 conformant implementation. It is the culmination of work done within Khronos to define open standard programming models that work across multiple platforms and devices.
ComputeAorta
ComputeAorta is Codeplay's multi-target, multi-platform toolkit for rapidly enabling delivery of the OpenCL, SPIR-V, and Vulkan compute standards. ComputeAorta can also be easily customized to support new and novel hardware architectures, especially for AI and computer vision.
The OpenCL standard has been widely adopted as a programming model for GPUs, CPUs, DSPs and FPGAs. Codeplay built proprietary bespoke implementations of OpenCL for many customers, as well as significantly contributing to the development of OpenCL and related standards within The Khronos Group.
Standards Participation
Codeplay has extensive participation into standards bodies to ensure the industry benefits from its extensive and varied knowledge. Codeplay chairs the following standards:
Group | Section |
---|---|
Khronos Group | Safety Critical Advisory Panel (SCAP) |
Khronos Group | SYCL (Chair), OpenCL (runtime Spec Editor) |
HSA Foundation | Software |
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22 | WG21 SG14 Low Latency/Games/Finance/Embedded/Simulations |
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22 | WG21 SG5 Transactional Memory (Oracle, Intel, Redhat) |
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22 | WG21 SG1 Executors (Google, Nvidia, Facebook) |
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22 | WG21 SG1 Lock-free programming and memory Model (Facebook, IBM) |
BSI IST/5 and SCC | Standards Council of Canada (SCC) |
MISRA | Automotive C++ |
RISC-V | Datacentre SIG (Chair) |
Research
Codeplay has contributed to the following EU-funded research projects:
- CARP: Correct and Efficient Accelerator Programming[12]
- LPGPU: Low-Power Parallel Computing on GPUs[13][14]
- PEPPHER: Performance Portability and Programmability for Heterogeneous Many-core Architectures[15]
- LPGPU2: Low-Power Parallel Computing on GPUs 2[16]
- WIZer : Batteries project, led by Williams Advanced Engineering, will deliver a revolutionary approach to battery management, new hybrid supercapacitor and lithium ion battery systems and a communications platform that will deliver data and capability to customers, vehicle manufacturers and infrastructure providers
References
- "Content".
- "CODEPLAY SOFTWARE LIMITED - Overview (Free company information from Companies House)".
- "Renesas Electronics and Codeplay Collaborate on OpenCL and SYCL for ADAS Solutions - Codeplay Software Ltd". www.codeplay.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "Codeplay Software to Receive Investment to Enable Safe AI for Automotive - Codeplay Software Ltd". www.codeplay.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "TensorFlow gets native support for PowerVR® GPUs via optimised open-source SYCL libraries - Codeplay Software Ltd". www.codeplay.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "NSITEXE, Kyoto Microcomputer and Codeplay Software are bringing open standards programming to RISC-V Vector processor for HPC and AI systems - Codeplay Software Ltd". www.codeplay.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "NERSC, ALCF, Codeplay Partner on SYCL for Next-generation Supercomputers". www.nersc.gov. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- "Argonne and Oak Ridge National Laboratories Award Codeplay® Software to Further Strengthen SYCL™ Support Extending the Open Standard Software for AMD GPUs". codeplay.com. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- "Codeplay Software and eSOL Partner to Enable Open Standards Programming With eMCOS® RTOS Platform for Automotive Applications". codeplay.com. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- "Codeplay Software partners with Andes Technology to achieve Software First SoC Design for AI-based applications using RISC-V Vector Processors". codeplay.com. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- "Codeplay Software announces Acoran, the standards based platform for AI programmers - Codeplay Software Ltd". www.codeplay.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "CARP: Correct and Efficient Accelerator Programming". Retrieved 3 April 2014
- "Consortium | LPGPU.org". Retrieved 3 April 2014
- "European Consortium Awarded 2.8M€ Grant For Research Into Low Energy Graphics Processing". 9 November 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- "PEPPHER Partners". Retrieved 3 April 2014
- LPGPU2 Project with Khronos members Samsung UK, Codeplay and Think Silicon. Retrieved 30 November 2017