ADIUVO Engineering and Training Ltd, in collaboration with Japeto, has been awarded an Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) grant under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Discovery Programme. The funding supports the development and maturation of Certiqo.ai, an AI-based, requirements-driven verification tool for FPGA and HDL code.

What Are FPGAs and Why They Matter

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are highly flexible integrated circuits that can be reconfigured after manufacturing to perform specific hardware functions. This makes them essential in applications where performance, adaptability, and reliability are critical, such as spacecraft, defence systems, aerospace, industrial robotics, automotive electronics, and medical devices.

Unlike traditional processors, FPGAs execute operations directly in hardware, allowing for exceptionally high performance (100 – 1000x that of a processor) deterministic, real-time performance and reduced power consumption. Their reprogrammable nature makes them invaluable for systems that evolve over time. However verification of their functionality increasingly complex as designs grow in scale and sophistication.

Tackling the Hidden Cost of FPGA Bugs

Industry studies show that 84% of FPGA designs reach production with at least one non-trivial bug, often leading to costly rework, delays, or mission-critical failures. This project aims to fundamentally change how verification is approached by combining AI reasoning, and requirements traceability to identify and prevent defects earlier in the design lifecycle.

Introducing Certiqo.ai

Certiqo.ai is a next-generation verification environment being developed jointly by Adiuvo and Japeto, with the support of ESA’s Discovery Programme. The platform uses artificial intelligence to bridge the gap between design intent and code verification, automatically mapping requirements to test coverage and analysing potential verification gaps.

The tool’s vision is to provide engineers with an intelligent assistant capable of interpreting design documentation, and HDL code, creating a smarter, requirements-based verification process that enhances both speed and reliability.

You can view the original proposal on ESA’s OSIP portal here:
👉 ESA Project Proposal

From Prototype to Product

A working prototype of Certiqo.ai has already been demonstrated, showcasing the feasibility of the AI-driven verification approach. With OSIP support, the project will now advance toward:
Expanding AI capabilities to perform intelligent requirements extraction and traceability.
Integrating automated code analysis and coverage assessment.
Delivering a deployable platform tailored for space, safety-critical, and mission-critical FPGA designs.

Why This Matters

There are more giraffes in zoo’s than FPGA engineers (circa 2000) in the UK this enables FPGA Engineers to be able verify designs more efficiently thanks to the spotlight which certiqo.ai provides.

FPGAs play a leading role in Aerospace, defence, space, industrial robotics, automotive, and medical applications, where performance, reliability, and determinism are paramount.

These sectors demand not only cutting-edge computational performance but also verification confidence, ensuring that every design behaves exactly as intended, under all conditions.

However, FPGA verification remains a significant bottleneck. Traditional methods struggle to scale with today’s complex designs, often relying heavily on manual review and incomplete coverage analysis.

By introducing AI-driven, requirements-based verification, Certiqo.ai aims to close the verification gap, delivering faster, more rigorous validation for the systems that power our most critical missions and technologies.

Impact Beyond Space

While the project is rooted in ESA’s commitment to safer, more reliable space electronics, the implications of Certiqo.ai extend far beyond. Its technology aims to enhance design assurance in aerospace, defence, automotive, and industrial control sectors — wherever reliability and compliance are paramount.

“We’re thrilled to receive ESA’s support to advance Certiqo.ai,” said Adam Taylor, Founder of Adiuvo Engineering and Training. “This project reflects our belief that AI can play a transformative role in improving design assurance and reliability for the next generation of space and mission-critical systems.”

“Our collaboration with ESA through the Discovery Programme allows us to push FPGA verification beyond traditional methods,” added Ingrid Folland CEO of Japeto, “and move toward an intelligent, requirements-aware verification future.”

Next Steps
Over the coming year, Adiuvo and Japeto will:
Mature the Certiqo.ai prototype into a production-ready environment.
Validate it using representative FPGA designs for space missions.
Engage with early adopters to refine usability and industry integration.

For further information or collaboration enquiries, please contact:
[email protected]
or visit www.certiqo.ai