Synopsys Buys Glasgow EDA Startup to Boost Growth

Synopsys, Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of Gold Standard Simulations Ltd. (GSS), a leading provider of TCAD and EDA simulation solutions for design technology co-optimization (DTCO) of advanced process nodes. The acquisition of GSS supports the Synopsys TCAD strategy to offer a comprehensive solution to reduce development time and cost for advanced node development by enabling the evaluation and selection of process, device and materials options in the pre-wafer research phases of development.

Gold Standard Simulations Ltd (GSS) started in 2010 with £720,000 seed funding and support from Scottish Enterprise to commercialise more than 20 years of research in modelling and simulation of advanced transistors and circuits for semiconductor microchips.

GSS was created by Professor Asen Asenov, James Watt Chair in Electrical Engineering in the College of Science and Engineering, with support from the university and Scottish Enterprise. Professor Asenov is one of the world’s leading device modelling experts and leader of the acclaimed Glasgow Device Modelling Group (DMG).

Professor Asenov said: “We are delighted that the GSS vision and technology can be brought to the next level by the best and the brightest player on the EDA arena amplifying its impact on the semiconductor industry.” “The GSS team, which will be incorporated into the Synopsys technology CAD (TCAD) group and will remain in Scotland, provides jobs for University of Glasgow PhD students and former Post-Doctoral Research Associates (PDRAs) — all of whom are former members of the DMG.”