Proven over time, trusted every time

Fast path to silicon

Accelerated design, custom IP, and a proven production process for first-time-right ASICs and ASSPs.

Our flexible engagement model allows customers to hand off their design at a variety of levels — or engage strictly for custom memory IP. OEMs typically engage at the RTL or netlist level, while FSCs typically engage at the GDSII or production level.

We are structured to support these engagements with three business units (BUs), best-in-class supply chain partners and our proprietary infrastructure.

• For traditional ASIC development and production, our ASIC BU manages the process, from deploying in-house expertise in modeling and helping you choose the ideal set of third-party or custom IP for your design; to test engineering and yield management; through predictable, on-time delivery of your final chip in volume.
• For customers with proven chips who want to focus on their core business — rather than operations — our Semiconductor Manufacturing Services (SMS) BU is the answer. We will take your tested, production-ready chip and manage your volume production.
• Our IP business unit supports both the ASIC and SMS BUs, as well as independent engagements with customers, to supply an array of 28nm-180nm silicon-proven custom memories, including Cache, CAM, SRAM, ROM, and MPRF, as well as third-party IP.
• We partner with top suppliers to deliver your design all the way through volume production and delivery.
• The patented eSilicon Access^® production management system is a unique web interface that delivers instant access to critical work-in-process (WIP) supplier, materials and status information.

Whichever path you choose, we’ve built a proven system to take your design to volume production.

Engagement Levels

Vision + Accuracy

Combining the art and science of chip design.

The vision? Create a new value chain producer (VCP) business model to:

• Optimize the economics of customer value chains
• De-risk IP selection, DFT (design for test) assessment, package/substrate design, and chip implementation by utilizing domain-specific experts
• Enable customers to focus on their product differentiation and market growth — not operations
• Earn revenue by shipping packaged, tested products with the customer’s logo

The accuracy? A finely tuned production machine that delivers a consistently first-time-right chip.

• Proprietary design, development, and planning tools and methodology
• Patented ASIC manufacturing infrastructure tools — the secret sauce that helps us deliver first-time-right silicon

Value Chain Producer Business Model

Value Chain Producers
A VCP is a company that collaborates with foundries, IP and service providers, EDA suppliers, and package, assembly and test operations in designing and producing chips for fabless IC, IDM and OEM companies. VCPs optimize the economics of customer value chains and enable customers to focus on their product differentiation and market growth.

eSilicon, the largest independent semiconductor VCP, delivers ASICs to OEMs and fabless semiconductor companies through a fast, flexible, lower-risk path to volume production by deploying its comprehensive suite of design-through-manufacturing services and custom IP offerings. eSilicon serves a wide variety of markets including the communications, computer, consumer and industrial segments.

Real-time supply chain management

Predictable, industry-leading quality with a clear path to cost reduction.

Matching Customers’ Designs with the Right Suppliers
We evaluate suppliers selectively based on their technology, simulating the performance of each element in the supply chain for optimal performance and reliability for each customer’s design.

We are independent and free to work with any foundry or IP supplier. We explore tradeoffs in all dimensions to help customers find the right solution for each design:

• Process/foundry
• NRE/ASP
• Die/package
• Standard IP/custom IP

Close Partnerships Pay off During Tough Times
Close, long-term relationships with our suppliers mean we can act quickly and effectively against adverse industry conditions, such as the 2010 materials shortage and the 2011 catastrophe in Japan.

Multi-Pronged Approach to Cost Reduction
We help our customers achieve significant cost reductions in a variety of ways. Obviously, aggregating volumes is one part of cost reduction. But understanding the underlying technology and removing inefficiencies, as well as advanced test and design methodologies deliver even greater savings. Some of these methodologies include:

• Concurrent design
• Design for test (DFT)
• Design for yield (DFY)
• Design for manufacture (DFM)
• IP integration to optimize for power, performance, and area (PPA)

California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (SB 657)

Global company. Local support.

Expert support, where and when you need it
ASIC design is a high-touch business; you need access to the right people with the right expertise in your time zone. As a truly global VCP, we deliver quality support where and when you need it. Whether you need access to our top engineering talent or a local interface to our supply chain partners, eSilicon is there.

We are headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley in Sunnyvale, California. Our design centers are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Murray Hill, New Jersey; Shanghai, China; Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam; Bucharest and Iasi, Romania; and Barcelona, Spain.

Milestones

2000-2003

• Pioneers the value chain producer (VCP) model, based on industry megatrends
• Adds design teams coming primarily from Bell Labs (Murray Hill, New Jersey and Allentown, Pennsylvania)
• Adds Netlist engagement model, focuses on North American customers
• Builds infrastructure to run and manage business
• Patents eSilicon Access® 24x7 production management tool
• Creates GlobalDesign™ private cloud-based hosted design environment

2004-2007

• To-date record revenue driven primarily by inclusion of customer's chip in Apple iPod
• Diversifies to reduce concentration in consumer segment
• Adds GDSII engagement model to expand SAM (served available market)
  • Establishes engineering center in Romania through acquisition of Sycon Design
  • Begins engagement with EMEA customers

2008-Current

• Establishes manufacturing operations center in Shanghai, China
• GSA (Global Semiconductor Alliance) announces VCP as an official market segment, creates a board seat
• Acquires Silicon Design Solutions (SDS) with two engineering centers in Vietnam (170 full-time employees) for its custom IP business
• Adds Semiconductor Manufacturing Services (SMS) engagement model
• Organizes into three business units: ASIC, IP and SMS for business focus and growth