Works with Arduino™ Program

The Works with Arduino™ program is the Arduino official certification program for third-party hardware manufacturers. It enables companies to build and sell their own boards and modules that are designed to be fully compatible with the Arduino® App Lab development environment and the broader Arduino® software ecosystem.

If you are a hardware manufacturer, system integrator, or OEM looking to bring an edge AI or industrial computing product to market while leveraging the Arduino developer community, this article is for you.

What Is the Works with Arduino Program?

The Works with Arduino program certifies third-party hardware products — such as System-on-Modules (SOMs) and carrier boards — that are based on specific Qualcomm Dragonwing™ platforms. Once certified, your product is built to run any Arduino App Release — a ready-to-run, deployable bundle of an app built with Arduino App Lab — without any modification.

This means that applications developed and prototyped on Arduino Q-Series boards (Arduino® UNO™ Q and Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q) can be directly deployed to your certified product, offering your customers a frictionless path from prototype to production.

The program is organized around three core pillars:

• UNO Q and VENTUNO Q Boards: The Arduino reference development hardware which serve as the baseline for application development, prototyping, and testing.
• Arduino App Lab: The unified development environment for building applications that combine Arduino sketches, Python scripts, and AI models.
• The Certification Program: The formal process by which a third-party device earns the right to carry the "Works with Arduino" badge, available in two tiers: Core and Extended.

Who Is the Program For?

The Works with Arduino program is designed for companies and organizations that want to design, develop, and produce a device based on a supported Dragonwing processor and need it to run Arduino App Releases natively.

Target partners include:

• OEM/ODM manufacturers building industrial, robotics, or edge AI products
• System integrators deploying smart devices in commercial or industrial settings
• Embedded hardware companies migrating customers from prototype to scalable production hardware
• R&D departments in mid-to-large enterprises that want to leverage Arduino prototyping workflow at production scale

Note: The program is not aimed at individual makers or community users. It is a B2B program for professional hardware manufacturers.

Supported Qualcomm® Platforms

To be eligible for Works with Arduino certification, your product must be based on one of the following Qualcomm platforms:

Arduino does not provide custom Linux BSPs. Linux kernel configuration, device tree definition, and driver upstreaming are entirely the responsibility of the Partner. All kernel drivers must be actively maintained.

What Is Arduino App Lab?

Arduino App Lab is the unified development environment preloaded on all Arduino Q-Series boards. It is the converging point of development across MCU, Linux, and Edge AI — bringing together:

• Embedded (Sketch) programming for real-time MCU control via Zephyr OS
• Linux application development using Python scripts and containers
• Edge AI, with pre-trained and custom models running directly on-device, with no cloud dependency

Building Blocks

• Bricks: Modular blocks that combine Python scripts, Arduino Sketches, and AI models with ease.
• AI Models: Pre-trained models for Vision, Audio, and Gen-AI (e.g. face detection, anomaly detection, keyword spotting, local LLM, speech-to-text, image segmentation) — all running on-device.
• Examples: Ready-to-run reference apps that show how Bricks, AI models, Python programs, and Sketches work together, runnable with zero setup.
• Custom Apps: Your own creations, built by modifying examples or assembling blocks from scratch. Tailor the logic, UI, and behavior, then deploy with one click.

Why Arduino App Lab Matters for Your Customers

Arduino App Lab aims to remove the traditional boundary between prototyping and production engineering. A developer who builds an app on a UNO Q or VENTUNO Q board should not need to rewrite, re-configure, or rebuild anything to run it on your certified SOM. This is the promise that the Works with Arduino certification formally guarantees.

What Is an Arduino App Release?

An Arduino App Release is the deployable, production-ready version of an application built with Arduino App Lab. It is designed as a self-contained, immutable package that includes everything needed to install and run an app on any Works with Arduino-certified device.

What an App Release Contains

The App Release Lifecycle

Step 1 — Build & Package: Export the app developed on target Arduino devices as a single .tar.gz file. All compiled code, dependencies, and frozen AI models are included. Source code is excluded by default and must be explicitly opted in by the developer.

Step 2 — Release Notes: Release Notes are bundled inside the package. Users can read what changed before upgrading. The format supports safety-focused, staged rollouts and rollback to any previously installed version.

Step 3 — Install on Device: Install the Release on any Works with Arduino-certified device via Arduino App CLI. All required resources are downloaded and prepared automatically. The CLI checks compatibility and returns a clear error if any declared dependency is missing.

Step 4 — Run & Distribute: Run any installed Release via Arduino App CLI or directly from Arduino App Lab. The app is built to run in an isolated container — no impact on other apps. Arduino App Lab users can also open a Release in read-only mode, or clone and customize it.

Seamless Portability: An App Release built and validated on a UNO Q or VENTUNO Q will run identically on any Works with Arduino-certified SOM — no recompilation, no BSP hunting, no driver debugging.

Certification Tiers: Core and Extended

The Works with Arduino program offers two certification tiers. OEMs choose the tier that matches their product's hardware and feature set. Certification testing is only performed against declared capabilities.

All badges are valid for 24 months. Re-certification is triggered only by a major OS or chipset change.

Core Tier — Minimum Viable Arduino App Lab Compatibility: The Core tier is the baseline for running Arduino App Releases. It is built to provide the essential software stack — Linux OS, container runtime, App CLI, and network connectivity.

Extended Tier — Full Production-Grade Compatibility: The Extended tier is structured to add full peripheral and connectivity support: MCU integration (Zephyr + Arduino Core), Wi-Fi & Bluetooth, Camera, Audio, Display, and CAN-FD fieldbus.

Capabilities Matrix

Platform-Specific Requirements

Dragonwing QRB2210 (UNO Q target)

IQ8 / QCS8275 (Arduino VENTUNO Q target)

Technical Requirements Summary

Hardware Requirements

• The product shall be based on the Dragonwing QRB2210 or Dragonwing IQ8 (QCS8275) platform.
• Optional capabilities (MCU, CSI Cameras, DSI Display, CANbus) must be declared upfront in the Certification Submission Form.
• Certification testing is performed only against declared capabilities.

Software Requirements

The software requirements help ensure application portability for apps developed in Arduino App Lab across all Works with Arduino-certified products.

The Certification Process

Works with Arduino certification takes place in four stages:

Stage 1 — Enrollment & Declaration

• Select your target platform (UNO Q / Dragonwing QRB2210 or VENTUNO Q / Dragonwing IQ8) and certification tier (Core or Extended).
• Submit the Certification Submission Form (CSF) at www.arduino.cc/pro/works-with-arduino.
• Declare hardware capabilities, software/firmware stack, and Qualcomm Linux alignment.
• Receive early Arduino compatibility feedback before hardware finalization.

Tip: Submit the CSF as early as possible — ideally before starting product design. Arduino can provide compatibility feedback, helping you avoid costly design rework.

Stage 2 — Architecture Review

• Submit hardware and software architecture documentation demonstrating compliance with all applicable requirements.
• Provide a requirement-by-requirement compliance matrix.
• Confirm that all kernel drivers are upstream.
• Arduino will review and return written feedback and a gap list.

Stage 3 — Functional Certification Testing

• Run the official Arduino Functional Test Suite against your declared capabilities.
• Test scope is based on the tier and optional capabilities declared in your CSF.
• Submit the signed Test Report to Arduino.
• Arduino will review the report and provide feedback. Resubmissions do not require re-enrollment.

What is tested:

All tests use Arduino-provided tools and reference applications. One hundred percent of declared capability tests must pass. Non-declared capabilities are not tested.

Stage 4 — Certification Award

• Receive the Works with Arduino badge (Core or Extended tier).
• Get listed in the Arduino certified partner directory.
• Unlock co-marketing rights and GTM support from Arduino.
• Badge is valid for 24 months.

Certification Submission Form

When you are ready to begin, submit your application here: www.arduino.cc/pro/works-with-arduino

Badge Validity and Re-Certification

The Works with Arduino badge is valid for 24 months from the date of certification.

Re-certification is required when:

• Kernel major-version upgrade (e.g., 5.x → 6.x) affects declared drivers
• MPU/SoC silicon family or stepping changes and alters declared capabilities
• Upstream or maintained DT or kernel driver changes affect any declared peripheral
• Moving from Core to Extended tier (new capability declarations)
• Any change that alters the pass/fail outcome of a previously certified test

Re-certification is NOT required for:

• Minor or patch OS updates that do not touch declared drivers
• App Release or App CLI version updates
• Cosmetic hardware revisions (enclosure, silkscreen)
• Adding non-declared, optional peripherals
• Firmware bug fixes that do not change declared behavior

When in doubt, submit a Delta Review request — Arduino confirms re-certification scope. Instructions will be provided to partners on how to submit a request once needed.

What Your Customers Get

When a customer chooses a Works with Arduino-certified SOM, they benefit from:

• Seamless Portability: Any App Release built on a UNO Q or VENTUNO Q runs with zero code changes.
• Quality assurance: Certification tests cover OS, Docker, AI stack, audio, camera, and MCU integration.
• Faster deployment: App Release deploys via Arduino App CLI out of the box — from box-open to running in minutes.
• Ecosystem trust: Listed on Arduino's official certified partner directory, visible to 34M+ developers globally.

The Reference Hardware: Arduino Q Boards

Arduino Q-Series boards serve as the reference hardware for application development within the Works with Arduino ecosystem.

UNO Q: The classic UNO form factor, reimagined for the AI era. Powered by the Dragonwing QRB2210 (Quad-core processor, 2 GHz) alongside an STM32U585 MCU. Features 2/4 GB LPDDR4, 16/32 GB eMMC, Wi-Fi® 5, Bluetooth® 5.1, and a Qwiic connector. Runs Linux Debian OS with Arduino Core on Zephyr for real-time MCU control.

VENTUNO Q: Designed as the high-performance powerhouse for edge AI and robotics. Powered by the Dragonwing IQ8 (QCS8275) with Hexagon Tensor NPU built to deliver up to 40 Dense TOPS alongside an STM32H5F5 MCU @ 250 MHz. Features 16 GB LPDDR5, 64 GB eMMC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, 2.5 Gb Ethernet, HDMI, CAN-FD, and M.2 NVMe storage. Designed for vision-guided robotics, local LLMs, speech and translation workloads, and autonomous systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I join the program if I use a different processor?

No. The Works with Arduino program currently supports only the Dragonwing QRB2210 and Dragonwing IQ-8275 (IQ8) platforms.

What is the difference between Core and Extended tier?

The Core tier covers the essential software stack needed to run Arduino App Releases: Linux OS (QLI-aligned), Docker, App CLI, and optional network connectivity. The Extended tier adds full peripheral support: MCU (Zephyr + Arduino Core), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Camera, Audio, Display, and CAN-FD. OEMs choose the tier that fits their hardware.

Can I certify at Core tier now and move to Extended later?

Yes. Moving from Core to Extended counts as a new capability declaration and triggers re-certification for the newly declared capabilities.

Does Arduino provide a Linux BSP for my product?

No. Arduino does not provide custom Linux BSPs. You are responsible for your Linux kernel configuration, Device Tree, driver upstreaming, and QLI alignment.

Can my product include additional software on top of the Arduino stack?

Yes, provided that any additional OS components and packages do not interfere with the execution of Arduino applications.

When should I submit the Certification Submission Form?

As early as possible — ideally before starting product design. Arduino can provide compatibility feedback within 30 days, which can help you avoid costly rework later.

How long is the certification valid?

The Works with Arduino badge is valid for 24 months. Re-certification is only triggered by major OS or chipset changes — not by minor updates or App Release version changes.

What happens if my product is found to be incompatible?

You may either withdraw the request or modify the product and resubmit. Resubmissions do not require re-enrollment. Arduino is not responsible for any costs incurred during the design or development phase.

How much does certification cost?

Certification is entirely free. Enrollment, architecture review, testing, badge issuance, and partner directory listing are all at no cost. Optional paid extended engineering support is available on request.

Summary

The Works with Arduino Program is a B2B certification pathway for OEMs and hardware manufacturers who want to bring products based on Dragonwing fully into the Arduino ecosystem. By getting certified, your device gains:

• Full compatibility with Arduino App Releases — no code changes required
• Access to 34M+ Arduino developers as potential customers
• A trusted, recognized badge (Core or Extended) that signals quality and ecosystem integration
• Accelerated customer time-to-revenue through portable, frictionless app deployment
• Co-marketing support and listing in Arduino's certified partner directory
• A free, structured 4-stage certification process with early compatibility feedback

To get started, reach out to your Qualcomm or Arduino partner contact, or submit the Certification Submission Form directly on www.arduino.cc/pro/works-with-arduino — ideally before you finalize your hardware design.

Further Reading

• Arduino UNO Q — Getting Started
• Arduino VENTUNO Q — Getting Started
• Arduino App Lab — Documentation
• Works with Arduino — Submit Certification Form

Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Arduino, UNO, VENTUNO, and the Works with Arduino logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Arduino S.r.l. Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.