Synopsys expands EDA's largest Users Group to include conferences in Ottawa and Austin

MOUNTAIN VIEW, USA: Synopsys Inc. recognized the Best Paper Awards from the most recent Synopsys Users' Group (SNUG) conferences in Boston, Ottawa and Austin. The three conferences are part of a global network of SNUG events that drew nearly 8,000 Synopsys customers in 2010.

Synopsys recently expanded the SNUG program to include events in Ottawa and Austin, making the conferences more accessible and relevant to a greater number of its customers.

"Bringing SNUG to the backyards of additional customers underscores the value that Synopsys sees in these popular gatherings, and the strong attendance numbers and enthusiastic participation confirm that users also find value in participating in these live events," says Al Czamara, director of hardware engineering with Test Evolution, and technical chair for SNUG Boston, Ottawa and Austin.

More than 70 technical sessions were held at the three conferences, covering all areas of design including synthesis, verification, low power design, physical design/sign off, analog/mixed-signal design, custom design, test and rapid prototyping tools.

Aart de Geus, chairman and chief executive officer at Synopsys, opened the conference at SNUG Boston with a keynote sharing his perspective on important semiconductor trends, including the rapidly growing "smart" technology space.

de Geus also spoke about Synopsys' recent technology developments, including the new HSPICE Precision Parallel (HPP) multi-threading technology that delivers up to 7X simulation speed-up for complex analog and mixed-signal designs, as well as the company's expanded leadership in the virtual prototyping solutions space.

SNUG Boston also featured Synopsys' Designer Community Expo, which showcased the integration between Synopsys and more than 20 of its partners from across the electronics industry, providing solutions that address the difficult design challenges SNUG attendees face.

"There was a sense of optimism at the twelfth annual SNUG Boston, which I think can be attributed to the rebound the semiconductor industry has experienced this year. The race towards advanced nodes is in full force and engineers are taking full advantage of the ability to collaborate, share and learn in order to solve some of the toughest design challenges out there," said de Geus.

"We listen intently to our customers to make sure that we are providing solutions that meet their needs and allow them to drive continued advancements in electronics. I always leave SNUG conferences energized by the thoughtful dialog that takes place across the engineering community."