Siemens EDA

Description

Siemens EDA is a broad line supplier of EDA tools. It provides a complete semiconductor design flow that includes simulation, emulation, place and route, verification, design for manufacturing, and test. It also develops tools for wire harness systems and computational fluid dynamics. It serves a wide variety of markets ranging from communications, consumer electronics, semiconductors, networking, multimedia, mil/aero and transportation.

Mentor Graphics was the third largest of the Big Three EDA vendors by revenue, behind Synopsys and Cadence, but its acquisition by Siemens in 2017 has made it part of one of the world’s largest multinational companies. It is part of the Siemens Digital Industries Software division.

• HQ: Wilsonville, OR, USA
• Founded: 1981
• Founded by: Gerald H. Langeler, Tom Bruggere, Dave Moffenbeier
• Website: https://www.mentor.com/

Invention: AVM in 2006

Acquired By:

In March 2017, Siemens acquired Mentor Graphics for $4.5 billion. Mentor joined the company’s PLM Software division. [Also see: Siemens-Mentor Deal Retrospective in 2019.]

Founded:

• Cre8 Ventures in 2005
• SPIRIT Consortium in 2003
• Frontier Design in 1997
• Antares in 1995; Model Technology and Exemplar Logic subsidiaries were combined to form Antares.

Acquisitions:

• Canopus AI in February 2026. Computational metrology and inspection.
• ASTER Technologies in January 2026. PCBA test verification and engineering software.
• Dotmatics in July 2025. Life sciences R&D software.
• ebm-papst’s Industrial Drive Technology (IDT) division in July 2025.
• Excellicon in May 2025. Software for the development, verification, and management of timing constraints.
• Wevolver in April 2025.
• DownStream Technologies in April 2025. Manufacturing data preparation solutions for PCB design.
• Altair Engineering in March 2025. Software for industrial simulation and analysis, including mechanical and electromagnetic simulation, HPC, data science and AI.
• Insight EDA in November 2023. Design-specific reliability verification and analysis.
• Avery Design Systems in November 2022.
• ZONA Technology in July 2022. Aeroelastic simulation solutions.
• Senseye in June 2022. Predictive maintenance and asset intelligence for industrial companies.
• FORAN marine design software from SENER in July 2021.
• proFPGA product family of FPGA desktop prototyping technologies from PRO DESIGN Electronic GmbH in June 2021.
• Nextflow Software in June 2021. Particle-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions.
• Supplyframe in May 2021. Electronics marketplace.
• Fractal Technologies in May 2021. Signoff-quality IP validation solutions.
• TimeSeries in April 2021. Low-code apps.
• OneSpin Solutions in April 2021. Formal verification software.
• Culgi in November 2020. Computational chemistry software.
• Avatar Integrated Systems in July 2020. Place and route software for advanced node design.
• UltraSoC in June 2020. Instrumentation and analytics solutions for silicon lifecycle management.
• MultiMechanics in November 2019. Material properties and behavior prediction.
• Atlas 3D in November 2019. Additive manufacturing optimization.
• Pixeom’s industrial edge technology portfolio in October 2019.
• Russelectric in March 2019. Power control systems including paralleling switchgear and automatic transfer switches.
• COMSA Computer und Software in December 2018. Software for electrical systems design and wire harness engineering. (As Siemens PLM Software.)
• Austemper Design Systems in June 2018. Tools for functional safety and safety-critical designs, including safety analysis, auto-correction and fault simulation technology to address random hardware faults. (As Siemens PLM Software.)
• Sarokal Test Systems in Q1 2018. Test solutions for fronthaul networks. (As Siemens PLM Software.)
• Valydate in August 2017. (As Siemens PLM Software.)
• Solido Design Automation in 2017. Variation-aware design and characterization. (As Siemens PLM Software.)
• Galaxy Semiconductor in 2016.
• Calypto Design Systems in 2015.
• Tanner EDA in 2015. (See also: Mentor Graphics Buys Tanner EDA, February 26, 2015)
• Flexras Technologies in 2015; terms were not disclosed.
• Nimbic in 2014.
• Berkeley Design Automation in 2014. (See also: Mentor Buys Berkeley Design, March 21, 2014)
• Oasys Design Systems in 2013.
• Axiom Design Automation in 2013.
• Tektronix debug IP in 2013; assets originally from Veridae.
• Novelics in 2011.
• Valor Computerized Systems in 2011.
• Zeland Software in 2010.
• Freescale Virtual Garage in 2010.
• Pyxis Technology in 2010.
• Pextra Corp. in 2009.
• LogicVision in 2009 for $14.3M.
• Agility Design Solutions’ ESL assets in 2009.
• Ponte Solutions in 2008 for $5.687M.
• Dynamic Soft Analysis in 2007 for $838,000.
• Sierra Design Automation in 2007 for $90M.
• Next Device Limited in 2006 for $2.598M.
• SpiraTech Limited in 2006 for $8.601M.
• Summit Design (new) in 2006 for $9.529M.
• EverCAD Corporation in 2006 for $5.288M.
• Router Soutions in 2006 for $4.74M.
• Volcano Communications Technologies in 2005 for $23.155M.
• Accelerated Technology (UK) Ltd. in 2005 for $905,000.
• Lighthouse Design Automation in 2005.
• VeSys in 2004.
• 0-In Design Automation in 2004 for $52.319M.
• First Earth in 2003.
• Translogic Polska in 2003.
• DDE-EDA A/S in 2003.
• Innoveda in 2002 for $182.059M.
• Speedgate in 2000 for $1.3M.
• Escalade Corp. in 2000 for $3.785M cash.
• CADIX’s ECAD Division in 2000 for $22M.
• Harness Software Group in 2000 for $21.266M in cash.
• Descon InformationsSysteme in 2000.
• Veribest in 1999 for $19.1M.
• CLK Computer-Aided Design in 1998.
• OPC Technology in 1998.
• CAE Technology in 1996.
• Royal Digital Centers in 1996 for $4.68M.
• Interconnectix in 1996 for $32.2M.
• SETO Software in 1996 for $3.495M.
• CoSoft in 1996.
• Antares in 1996.
• Zeelan Technology in 1996.
• dQdt in 1996 for $2.303M.
• Exemplar Logic in 1995 for $25M.
• Precedence in 1995.
• Axiom Daterer Skandinavien AB in 1995.
• Integrity Engineering in 1994.
• Model Technology in 1994 for $36M.
• Anacad Electrical Engineering Software in 1994.
• CheckLogic Systems in 1993.
• Silicon Compiler Systems in 1990 for $100M in stock.
• Context Corp. in 1990.
• Descartes Automation Systems in 1989 for $12M.
• Performance CAD in 1989.
• Trimeter Technologies’ assets in 1989 for $3.4M.
• Tektronix CAE and CASE Divisions in 1988 for $5M.
• Contour Design Systems in 1988.
• Synergy DataWorks in 1984.
• California Design Automation in 1983.

Subsidiaries:

• Mentor Mechanical Analysis Division became a unit of Mentor in 2008.
• Catapult C Product Division became a unit of Mentor in 2004.
• Mentor physical libraries became a unit of Mentor in 1999.
• Mentor Emulation Division became a unit of Mentor in 1996.
• Inventra became a unit of Mentor in 1996.
• Mentor Embedded Systems Division became a unit of Mentor in 1996.
• European Design Center became a unit of Mentor in 1990. It was obtained through the acquisition of SCS, which got it from Silvar-Lisco.