Implementation of a Java Processor on a FPGA (2016)

People want to run things other than Java.

We did see a recent attempt to do hardware-based memory management again with Vypercore, but they ran out of money.

I think part of the problem with any performance-related microarchitectural innovation is that unless you are one of the big players (i.e. Qualcomm, Apple, Intel, AMD, Nvidia) then you already have a significant performance disadvantage just due to access to process nodes and design manpower. So unless you have an absolutely insane performance trick, it's still not going to make sense to buy your chip.

They have the volume as well, if you do carve out a niche they’ll just add it and roll over you.

That’s held for decades though I think it only really worked when computers where doubling in speed every 12-18 months, for a while they scaled horizontally (more cores) over radical IPC improvements so we might see the rise of proper co-processors again (but nothing stops the successful ones getting put on die, like Strix Point is already heading).