Sam Hocevar’s project-piCo is a KiCad reverse-engineering project that proposes one practical change to Raspberry Pi’s Pico 2: replacing its Micro-USB connector with USB Type-C. The repository includes a preliminary RP2350-based Pico 2 design, but the available sources do not establish that it is finished, tested, manufactured, or for sale.
What is the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 USB-C clone?
Project-piCo is Hocevar’s effort to reverse-engineer Raspberry Pi Pico-family boards and publish their designs in KiCad, with the stated aims of adding USB Type-C and making the design files more accessible. Its repository includes a preliminary board design for the RP2350-based Pico 2. The project is a hardware-design effort, not a new microcontroller platform.
Hackster reported that Hocevar was excited by the Pico 2 announcement but disappointed that it retained Micro-USB. The outlet quoted him: “I was extremely excited to see the announcement of the [Raspberry Pi] Pico 2 last week, but some of my enthusiasm left me when I saw that the new board still retained the micro-USB connector,” Hocevar explains of the inspiration behind the cloned board. “Of course, I got right to work on correcting this issue.” Hackster’s report describes the Pico 2 work as a work in progress.
What changes from the official Pico 2?
The documented change is the connector: project-piCo aims to use USB Type-C, while Raspberry Pi’s official non-wireless Pico 2 uses Micro-USB for power and data. The proposed board is still based on RP2350, the chip used by the official Pico 2; the project is not presented as a faster or more capable processor platform.
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| Feature | Official Raspberry Pi Pico 2 | Project-piCo Pico 2 design |
|---|---|---|
| Connector | Micro-USB for power and data, according to Raspberry Pi documentation. | USB Type-C is the project’s stated goal. |
| Processor platform | RP2350. | Preliminary RP2350 board design. |
| Design files and status | Official board product and documentation. | KiCad files in the project repository; the Pico 2 design is identified as preliminary. |
| Board-level validation | Raspberry Pi publishes official product specifications. | Not established by the project repository or cited coverage. |
Raspberry Pi specifies the Pico 2 with dual Arm Cortex-M33 or dual Hazard3 RISC-V processors, 520 KB SRAM, and 4 MB on-board flash. Its Pico-series documentation lists a speed of up to 150 MHz and says the board is compatible with Pico 1 in hardware and software. Those are specifications and compatibility statements for Raspberry Pi’s official board; they do not establish that every software or hardware use has been validated on Hocevar’s preliminary layout. See the official Pico 2 product page and Pico-series documentation.
Is the USB-C Pico 2 design finished or available to buy?
The cited project repository calls the Pico 2 design preliminary and lists design files rather than a product listing. The available sources therefore do not show a finished, tested, manufactured, or commercially available Hocevar board. A KiCad design can be useful to inspect or build upon without being a ready-to-use retail product.
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For the current file list and project status, consult the project-piCo repository. Repository contents can change, so its live status is the best source for whether the design has advanced since it was described as preliminary.
Where are the project-piCo design files?
The project’s KiCad files are in the project-piCo GitHub repository. The repository is the primary source for what files are present and how the project describes their availability. The material cited here does not establish a particular license, manufacturing run, or purchase route, so none should be assumed from the presence of downloadable design files.
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Why might a USB-C version matter?
USB Type-C would make the connector the project’s central difference from the official non-wireless Pico 2, which uses Micro-USB. That may be attractive to someone who prefers Type-C connectors, but the connector change alone does not demonstrate improved performance or broader compatibility. Until the board’s maturity and validation are established, the official Pico 2 remains the documented reference board rather than a confirmed drop-in substitute being offered by project-piCo.
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