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V. Rishi Kumar

HYDERABAD, May 22

THE California-based Synopsys Inc, electronic design automation (EDA) solutions major, has announced that Avanti Software's Hyderabad development facility would be its global support-cum-research-cum-design house. The US firm had acquired Avanti Software in June 2002.

This will be its second major facility in India; the first was established as early in 1995 in Koramangala in Bangalore. The company has so far invested about $ 25 million in Indian facilities and feels that it is the right time for strategic acquisitions and mergers as the industry is going through a tough transition.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Synopsis, Mr Chi-Foon Chan, told Business Line that this acquisition charted out in June 2002, had been extremely strategic for Synopsys.

While Synopsys had significant strengths in the back-end EDA space, Avanti commanded good visibility in the front-end applications. "With this, we have managed to become very broad based solutions provider."

In a space where there are just three major players accounting for significant chunk of the $ 4.5 billion EDA services business, there are about 250 other companies fighting out for the rest of the market share. This opened up opportunities for us to acquire good technology companies, Mr Chan explained. Beginning with the acquisition of Avanti in June 2002 for $750-odd million, Synopsys has brought four more companies into its fold including Core Design in October 2002, Insilicon in November 2002 and Numerical Technology in March 2003.

"We have embarked on a conscious expansion of Indian research-cum- support centre as we believe that the Asia Pacific market with specific reference to China and India offers a huge business opportunity for EDA services. With over 200 people, Synopsis India focuses on software design of electronic design automation tools and chip design flows and methodologies. These services part, Synopsys focuses on the architectural, chip intellectual property and design methodologies," Mr Chan said.

"Unlike software services companies, an EDA company like Synopsys does not grow in sheer numbers. What we slowly and certainly do is pick up people with high-end skills who meet our specific requirements in the semiconductor design skills and support services. Therefore, the number of people will not actually make much sense," he said.

Synopsys supports and assists its customers worldwide on chip designs and design methodologies.

A dedicated team has been set up at Hyderabad to handle these operations for its global clientele.

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