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Amid US Restrictions, Chinese Company To Offer Free Full-Stack EDA Tools
Amid US Restrictions, Chinese Company To Offer Free Full-Stack EDA Tools
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Amid US Restrictions, Chinese Company To Offer Free Full-Stack EDA Tools

The company was founded by former executives from Synopsys and Cadence—the two US-based companies reportedly restricted from selling EDA tools in China.Ā 

Published Updated

Key takeaways

  • UniVista offers free full-stack EDA tools to counter US restrictions on Chinese companies.
  • The company was founded by former executives from Synopsys and Cadence, key US EDA firms.
  • Their tools include novel solutions for integrated circuits, PCBs, and design verification.
  • US export restrictions have prompted a surge in domestic EDA software development in China.
  • UniVista's launch signifies a strategic response to ongoing technological blockades from the US.
5 min

Shanghai-based UniVista Industrial Software Group recently announced that it now offers domestic users free access to electronic design automation (EDA) software. 

UniVista’s suite offers a range of domestically produced EDA tools, which include a simulator debugger, a design for testability (DFT) platform, and a printed circuit board (PCB) design platform. According to the company, some of these are the country’s first domestically built tools. 

These EDA tools are software applications that assist engineers in designing, simulating, and verifying systems such as integrated circuits (ICs), PCBs, and system on a chip (SoC). EDA tools are often considered essential in the chip design process for various applications. 

The company called the announcement a “technological counterattack” and indicated that it is responding to numerous blockades and restrictions imposed by the United States government. 

Recently, Reuters reported that the Donald Trump administration has told US-based companies to stop selling software used to design chips to Chinese customers. Leading companies like Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens EDA were notified. The three companies also account for 70% of China’s EDA market. Furthermore, it was reported that Synopsys has told its staff in China to halt sales and stop taking new orders. 

UniVista, founded in 2020, comprises multiple former executives of Synopsys and Cadence, several of whom held senior VP and fellow-level positions, reported DigiTimes Asia. Besides UniVista, prominent players in China’s EDA ecosystem include Empyrean Technology, Primarius Technologies and Semitronix. 

As of last year, Empyrean held 6% of China’s market, making it the country’s largest domestic player. 

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