Cadence tries again with £2.5m design centre in Wales
US EDA company Cadence Design Systems is setting up a semiconductor design centre in Wales with backing from the Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult and £2.5m (€3m) from Welsh government.
The centre in Cardiff will provide design services to small companies and scale ups across the UK and also address the long-term skills needs.
The centre has received £2.5m in Welsh Government investment, funding from Cadence, and support from CSA Catapult in Newport and will create over 100 new jobs for graduate students in the next five years. It will be operated by the Catapult.
Cadence set up a similar semiconductor design centre in Scotland, the Alba centre, in 1997 as part of the dotcom semiconductor boom with plans for 1800 designers but the centre closed in 2005, highlighting recruitment challenges.
The Welsh centre in Centre 7 in Cardiff Gate is described as a joint venture company and will tap into Cadence’s expertise and AI-driven IC design tools and CSA Catapult’s advanced facilities and testing capabilities.
A recent study by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s found that integrated circuit design engineers are experiencing amongst the most acute shortage of skills. The new venture will build an employee-engaged culture where all can benefit from the success of the business.
“Cadence’s exciting partnership with Welsh Government and CSA Catapult not only reinforces the international confidence in Wales’ world-class semiconductor sector but also demonstrates our commitment to working with businesses to create the right conditions and opportunity for growth, investment and job creation here in Wales,” said Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning in the Welsh government.
“The Design Centre will diversify the range of capabilities the sector here can offer, complementing the manufacturing capacity and capitalising on the growing demand for semiconductor microchips. At the heart of this joint venture is the recruitment and training of local talent, providing well-paid careers for graduates and creating a robust pipeline of skilled professionals in high-tech industries that directly support our Net Zero Action Plan.”
Martin McHugh, Chief Executive Officer at CSA Catapult said: “The creation of the new semiconductor design centre is a significant milestone for the UK semiconductor industry. We are delighted to be working with Cadence and Welsh Government to create a world-leading facility, creating 100 new jobs in South Wales. Through the joint venture, we can address the semiconductor skills gap and strengthen the UK’s leadership position in chip design. It builds on the success of the compound semiconductor cluster in Wales and will create new opportunities for the entire UK semiconductor ecosystem. There will be new career paths for graduates of electrical engineering, computer science, and physics. With the support of Cadence and Welsh Government, the new centre will create international partnerships and further investment to the UK.”
www.cadence.com; www.cas.catapult.org.uk
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