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Licensing

BRIK-64 uses a dual licensing model designed to keep the core technology free for individuals, researchers, startups, and open-source projects — while sustaining commercial development through enterprise licensing.
For licensing inquiries, academic collaboration, or partnerships — contact info@brik64.com.

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What Is Always Free

The following are available to everyone, for any purpose (including commercial), at no cost, under Apache License 2.0:
  • The PCD compiler (brikc) — compile any PCD program
  • The PCD language — write PCD programs
  • All 128 monomers (64 Core + 64 Extended) — use them in your programs
  • The BIR bytecode format — implement your own runtime
  • The CMF verification tool — compute Φ_c for your circuits
  • Local Policy Circuit evaluation — run Policy Circuits on your own infrastructure
  • The Coq proofs — read, verify, extend, publish about them
  • The EVA algebra specification — implement it in any language
  • Academic and research use — no restrictions whatsoever

Academic Research

All compiler source code, proofs, and specifications are available under Apache 2.0 with no restrictions on academic use. Publish papers, build on the theory, cite freely.

Personal Projects

Individual developers can use BRIK-64 for personal projects, open-source software, and non-commercial applications with no license required.

Startups

Companies with under $1M annual revenue can use BRIK-64 commercially for free. The Community License covers this tier explicitly.

Open Source

Any OSI-approved open-source project can use BRIK-64 with no commercial license required, regardless of the project’s revenue.

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What Requires a Commercial License

The following require a commercial license from BRIK-64 Inc.:
  • Publishing PCD circuits (Ω = 1) to the BRIK-64 Public Registry
  • Receiving dynamic certification badges (live endpoint, updates automatically)
  • Generating compliance reports from the registry audit log
  • Registry SLA guarantees (uptime, response time, audit log retention)
  • Manufacturing chips that implement the BPU architecture (RTL license)
  • Distributing PCIe cards containing BPU silicon
  • Embedding BPU cores in SoCs or ASICs
  • Offering BPU-as-a-Service in cloud environments
  • SLA-backed support contracts (response time guarantees, dedicated channels)
  • Custom Policy Circuit development and certification
  • On-premise deployment assistance
  • Security audit and penetration testing of Policy Circuit deployments
  • Using BRIK-64 Inc.’s published Φ_c certificates in regulatory filings
  • Claiming compliance with a BRIK-64 safety standard in marketing materials
  • OEM licensing of the BRIK-64 brand for third-party products

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Dual Licensing Model

Community License — Free

For: individuals, researchers, startups (<$1M ARR), open-source projects
  • Apache 2.0 components
  • Local development and deployment
  • Academic and research use
  • All 128 monomers, full compiler, all backends
  • CMF verification (Φ_c computation)
  • Local Policy Circuit evaluation

Commercial License — Paid

For: enterprises ($1M+ ARR) using BRIK-64 in production
  • Everything in Community, plus:
  • Registry with verified Φ_c badges
  • Dynamic certification status
  • Compliance report generation
  • SLA-backed support
  • BPU hardware licensing
  • Enterprise Policy Circuit certification
  • BRIK-64 brand licensing
Contact: info@brik64.com

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Definition of Commercial Use

Commercial use requiring a license is defined as:
Use of BRIK-64 technology in a product or service that (a) generates revenue directly from the BRIK-64 features, OR (b) is deployed in a commercial context where the BRIK-64 safety certification is part of the product’s value proposition to customers, AND the deploying organization has more than $1M USD in annual revenue from any source.
This definition is intentionally narrow. An organization using BRIK-64 to verify its own internal processes does not require a commercial license. An organization selling “BPU-verified AI safety” as a product feature does.

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Apache License 2.0

BRIK-64’s public components are licensed under Apache License 2.0, which provides:
  • Patent grant — users receive a perpetual, royalty-free patent license for the covered components
  • Modification rights — you can modify and distribute the code
  • No royalties — no fees for using Apache-licensed components
  • Trademark protection — the BRIK-64™, PCD™, and BPU™ trademarks remain protected separately from the code license
The patent grant means you can build on BRIK-64’s Apache-licensed components without concern that patents will later be asserted against you. The grant is perpetual and irrevocable (with a narrow exception if you initiate patent litigation against BRIK-64 Inc.).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, if your company has less than $1M in annual revenue from any source, or if your use does not involve the registry, BPU hardware licensing, or BRIK-64 brand certification. The compiler, the language, and local Policy Circuit evaluation are always free.If your product’s marketing claims “BRIK-64 certified” or “BPU-verified,” that requires a commercial license regardless of revenue, because you are using BRIK-64 Inc.’s certification as a commercial value proposition.
Yes, under Apache 2.0. You can fork the compiler, modify it, and distribute your version. You cannot use the BRIK-64™ or PCD™ trademarks without a license. You cannot claim your fork is “BRIK-64 certified” without BRIK-64 Inc.’s certification.
Yes, unconditionally. Academic publication is explicitly encouraged. Cite the arXiv preprint and/or Zenodo DOI.
The Apache 2.0 license is irrevocable. The patent grants under Apache 2.0 cannot be revoked by a subsequent owner. The Zenodo and Software Heritage archives are permanent and independent of BRIK-64 Inc.’s existence.
Research implementations for non-commercial, academic purposes are permitted. Publishing a paper describing an FPGA implementation is permitted. Manufacturing or distributing hardware that incorporates the BPU architecture for commercial purposes requires a license from BRIK-64 Inc.

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Contact

For all inquiries — licensing, academic collaboration, research access, security disclosures, and general information — contact info@brik64.com.
BRIK-64™, PCD™, and BPU™ are trademarks of BRIK-64 Inc. Digital Circuitality™ is a trademark used under license. Apache License 2.0 applies to components as marked in the source repository. © 2026 BRIK-64 Inc. All rights reserved.