iSLI Makes Industry-Standard, Electronic Design Software Available to Startups in Scotland

29 September 06

The Institute for System Level Integration (iSLI) has partnered with Cre8Ventures to provide free access to Mentor Graphics’ leading edge Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software to startups in an incubator style environment.

Tony Harker (L) Carson Bradbury (R)

The move is a natural step in the development of iSLI’s Centre of Excellence for electronic design in Scotland. It will aid entrepreneurs of the fabless semiconductor design community to commercialise ideas by providing access to sophisticated design tools for the prototyping stage of their business. The software will be hosted at iSLI’s Alba Centre campus where there is already close collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and The Alba Innovation Centre to provide support services to indigenous companies.

Tony Harker, CEO, iSLI commented:

“Startups and SME’s are critical elements of the electronics design industry and the iSLI is strongly motivated to help stimulate their development. We are creating a software hub providing access to a variety of leading edge design tools within an incubator like environment."

"My aim is to eliminate one of the significant cost barriers facing semiconductor entrepreneurs from realizing their ambitions, through the provision of software resources. I hope this move will be key to attracting world class engineers to create a self fulfilling, startup eco-system here in Scotland.”

Startups are increasingly challenged to prove their ideas by the venture capital community before funding is released Providing industry standard design tools at the onset of a startups life enables individuals to progress prototype designs at the same rate as their commercially successful competition. This is an important step in de-risking the early stage process.

“We are impressed with iSLI’s position in the electronic systems design community and their vision to provide the collaboration between industry and academia”, comments Carson Bradbury, Director of Cre8Ventures. “Mentor Graphics Cre8Ventures’ initiative is very active with startups at each stage of their life-cycle so we understand the pain barriers they experience. Supporting iSLI with software is one way we can help fledglings in the industry. Of course, as these start-ups tackle their routes-to-funding and routes-to-market challenges.

More information on iSLI