Renesas to acquire pcb design software leader Altium

Renesas Electronics Corp., a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, has entered into a Scheme Implementation Agreement (SIA) to acquire Altium Ltd., leading global provider of electronic design automation (EDA) software. Under the terms of the transaction, subject to satisfaction of a number of conditions, Renesas will acquire all outstanding shares of Altium for a cash price.

Source: Altium

The acquisition enables two industry leaders to join forces and establish an integrated and open electronics system design and lifecycle management platform that allows for collaboration across component, subsystem, and system-level design. The transaction strongly aligns with Renesas’ digitalization strategy and represents the company’s first significant step in bringing enhanced user experience and innovation at the system level for electronics system designers.

As technology advances, the design and integration of electronic systems become increasingly complex. The current electronics system design flow is a complicated and iterative process that involves multiple stakeholders and design steps, from component selection and evaluation to simulation and pcb physical design. Engineers must be able to design systems that are not only functional but also efficient and cost-effective under shortened development cycles.

Together, Renesas and Altium, under a shared vision, aim to build an integrated and open electronics system design and lifecycle management platform that unifies these steps at a system level. The acquisition brings together Altium’s sophisticated cloud platform capabilities with Renesas’ strong portfolio of embedded solutions, combining high-performance processors, analog, power and connectivity. The combination will also enable integration with third-party vendors across the ecosystem to execute all electronic design steps seamlessly on the cloud. The electronics system design and lifecycle management platform will deliver integration and standardization of various electronic design data and functions and enhanced component lifecycle management, while enabling seamless digital iteration of design processes to increase overall productivity. This brings significantly faster innovation and lowers barriers to entry for system designers by reducing development resources and inefficiencies.

“Make our lives easier”

“Development processes continue to evolve and accelerate. With our Purpose “To Make Our Lives Easier” in mind, our vision is to make electronics design accessible to the broader market to allow more innovation through a cloud-based platform,” said Hidetoshi Shibata, CEO of Renesas. “Addition of Altium will enable us to deliver an integrated and open development platform, making it easier for businesses of all sizes and industries to build and scale their systems. We look forward to working with Altium’s talented team as we continue to invest and drive our combined platform to the next level of value for our customers.”

“I strongly believe that electronics is the single most critical industry to building a smart and sustainable world. Renesas’s visionary leadership and commitment to making electronics accessible to all resonates strongly with Altium. Altium’s vision of industry transformation finds its fullest expression in service of this grand vision of Renesas,” said Aram Mirkazemi, CEO of Altium. “Having worked closely with Renesas as a partner for nearly two years, we are excited to be part of the Renesas team as we continue to successfully execute and grow.”