Intel Capital invests in Ciranova

SANTA CLARA, USA: Ciranova Inc., a technology leader in analog IC physical design automation, announced that Intel Capital, Intel Corp.'s global investment organization, has made an investment in the company.

The funding will be used to expand the company’s sales and customer support operations and for specific extensions to the company’s technology.

Ciranova’s automated-design software helps engineers integrate complex RF, analog and mixed-signal content into nanometer-scale silicon much more densely and quickly than previously possible.

Ciranova technology is used by semiconductor companies integrating Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SERDES and other functions into high-end system-on-chip (SoC) designs at 65nm and below.

“Silicon for consumer devices, especially mobile internet and broadband, now demands very aggressive mixed-signal integration in nanometer CMOS,” said Eric Filseth, Ciranova CEO.

“But putting many radios or other analog functions into a single chip, together with digital, is extremely challenging using traditional analog methods. Our approach is much better suited to the complex process rules and large-scale designs associated with SoCs, and we’re delighted that Intel Capital has chosen to invest in our company.”

“The productivity gap in analog/mixed-signal design automation has been growing at a much faster rate than the productivity gap in digital design. Increased automation in analog design flows is needed to ensure acceptable design times for analog/mixed–signal circuits,” said Shishpal Rawat, director of business enabling programs with the Design Technology Solutions Group, Intel.

“Ciranova’s approach could improve turnaround time in analog layout automation, a key component of the overall analog/mixed-signal design flow.”