Product Intro
Technical Summary & Useful Links
TROPIC01 technical summary:
- RISC-V–based secure element with custom coprocessor
- Auditable hardware design
- Open firmware & SDK
- Side-channel resistant architecture
- Volume production ready
Devboards
Development Kits & Evaluation Boards
TROPIC01 USB DevKit
A versatile USB-to-SPI evaluation platform and standalone application development kit.
Host System
Onboard STM32U5 MCU (ARM Cortex-M33)
Primary Interface
SPI-to-UART bridge via USB
TROPIC01 Connection
Pre-soldered QFN 4×4 mm
Why engineers choose this
- Ecosystem Ready: Specifically designed for evaluation on prototypes compatible with Arduino headers.
- Integration: The chip is hard-wired to the SPI pins commonly used on Arduino boards for "plug-and-play" firmware testing.
Github
Order Devboard
€50.00
TROPIC01 Arduino Shield
An easy-to-use extension for the world’s most popular MCU ecosystem.
Host System
STM32 Nucleo and Arduino-compatible boards
Primary Interface
Standard Arduino SPI Header pinout
TROPIC01 Connection
Pre-soldered QFN 4×4 mm
Why engineers choose this
- Integration: The chip is hard-wired to the SPI pins commonly used on Arduino boards for "plug-and-play" firmware testing.
- Ecosystem Ready: Specifically designed for evaluation on prototypes compatible with Arduino headers.
Github
Order Devboard
€20.00
TROPIC01 Raspberry Pi Shield
Secure element integration for Linux-based Single Board Computers (SBCs).
Host System
Raspberry Pi and compatible Linux SBCs
Primary Interface
40-pin RPi GPIO Header (SPI)
TROPIC01 Connection
Pre-soldered QFN 4×4 mm
Why engineers choose this
- SBC Compatibility: Ideal for evaluation on Raspberry Pi or other Linux boards with RPi-compatible headers.
- High-Level Development: Perfect for testing TROPIC01 with high-level languages like Python and C++.
- System Integration: Simplifies the use of TROPIC01 within a full OS environment (Raspbian, Ubuntu, etc.) as a hardware root-of-trust for IoT and edge projects.
Github
Order Devboard
€20.00
TROPIC01 Mini Board
A minimalist breakout board designed for direct PCB-to-PCB integration.
Host System
Custom PCBs, Breadboards, or Space-constrained prototypes
Primary Interface
Direct SPI via Castellated Holes
TROPIC01 Connection
Pre-soldered QFN 4×4 mm
Why engineers choose this
- The "No-Solder" Solution: Provides direct access to the chip without the need to solder 4×4 mm QFNs or route a complex evaluation board.
- Mechanical Specs: Compact 17 × 12 mm footprint, 2-layer FR4 (1.0 mm), Blue solder mask, and top silkscreen.
- Integration: Castellated holes allow it to be soldered directly onto a host PCB as a module, making it perfect for hand-soldering or custom shields.
Github
Order Devboard
€9.50
MIKROE Click Board™
Third-party TROPIC01 module for the mikroBUS™ rapid prototyping standard.
Host System
Boards with a mikroBUS™ socket
Primary Interface
Standard mikroBUS™ SPI pinout
TROPIC01 Connection
Pre-soldered QFN 4×4 mm
Why engineers choose this
- Plug-and-Play: Part of the MIKROE ecosystem—tested, affordable hardware supported by FREE libraries and technical support.
- Flexibility: Can be used in a socket or connected using jumper wires when a dedicated socket isn't available.
- Upgrade Path: Simplifies later upgrades or project pivots thanks to the modular Click format.
Github
Order Devboard
€20.00
Docs navigation
Resource library
Technical Documentation
Resource | What is this? | Direct Link |
|---|---|---|
| TROPIC01 Part numbers | Information for all existing part numbers (Datasheets, APIs, Firmwares, Erratas, ...) | View Github |
| Technical FAQ | Common hardware and software integration hurdles. | View Github |
| Security Policy | Vulnerability disclosure and audit protocols. | View CVD |
Hardware Design Files
Resource | What is this? | Direct Link |
|---|---|---|
| Master HW Repo | Central collection of all board resources, BOMs, and layouts. | View Repo |
| Integration resources | Verified implementation examples for USB, RPi, and Arduino hosts. | View Github |
Software & SDKs (= Libtropic, the official SDK for TROPIC01)
Resource | What is this? | Direct Link |
|---|---|---|
| libtropic (C SDK) | Primary SDK for host MCU and Linux integration. | View Github |
| libtropic-rs | Unofficial/community driven Rust bindings and crates. | View Github |
| libtropic-arduino | Unofficial/community driven C++ library for Arduino/Nucleo environments. | View Github |
Open Silicon & Audit
Resource | What is this? | Direct Link |
|---|---|---|
| TROPIC01 RTL | Full SystemVerilog hardware design of the chip. | View Github |
| Application Firmware | C-code running on the internal RISC-V core. | View Github |
| SPECT Firmware | Assembly for the SPECT crypto co-processor. | View Github |
| SPECT Compiler | Toolchain and ISA simulator for SPECT. | View Github |
| Internal SDK | The internal HAL for IBEX RISC-V core | View Github |
Support contacts
Support & Community
We are big fans of curious minds. Whether you have a specific technical question or just want to join the conversation on open-source security, we’d love to hear from you.
Discord Community
Join the chat. The fastest way to get quick tips and chat in real-time with our team and other developers.
Join Discord community
Github Discussion
Collaborate in the open. The best place to share your projects, post feature requests, and join long-form technical discussions.
Join the discussion
Email Support
Drop us a line. If you prefer a direct conversation or have a specific project inquiry, we’re just an email away.
support@tropicsquare.com
Support Desk
Let’s solve it together. Best for complex technical issues where we need to track code snippets, logs, and progress in one place.
Open request
Hall of Fame
Contributors & Collaborators
Transparency is a team effort. We are incredibly grateful to our contributors, these architects and researchers help us go further than we could alone. We are proud to recognize those who have helped make TROPIC01 a more accessible and verified secure element.
Petr Kracík
Octopus LAB
- Python library for TROPIC01 https://github.com/petrkr/pytropicsquare
- TROPIC01 manager https://github.com/petrkr/tropic01manager
Andrej Krakau
Filancore GmbH
Erik Neumann
Filancore GmbH
- initial version of RUST library https://github.com/tropicsquare/libtropic-rs
filancore.com
Jürgen Eckel
RDDL Foundation
Tom Fuerstner
RDDL Foundation
- TROPIC01 evaluation and initial integration into Espressif ecosystem
rddl.io
Matias Cazanave
Wualabs
- libtropic integration HAL layer for Raspberry Pi Pico
Miro Svetlik
Contentwise
- initial evaluation of TROPIC01 and libtropic integration HAL layer for Linux
contentwise.com