Product category: Design Services
News Release from: Accent
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 19 July 2006
Sofinnova steps in to
fund design services growth
Sofinnova Partners has led a Eur 10.6 million financing in Accent, following STMicroelectronics' decision to divest its majority shareholding to focus its attention on its core businesses and markets
Sofinnova Partners has led a Eur 10.6 million financing in Accent, the STMicroelectronics and Cadence Design Systems joint venture company, and a global provider of microelectronics product design and realisation services as well as semiconductor IP licensing. The investment follows STMicroelectronics' decision to divest its majority shareholding in Accent as outlined in its 2005 plan to focus its attention on its core businesses and markets.
Related stories
License agreement lines up ARM-based design focus
Accent has licensed the ARM7TMI-S, the ARM926EJ-S and the ARM1136J-S synthesisable processors, as well as a range of PrimeCell peripherals and physical IP technology
Board boasts international big guns
Accent has announced the composition of its new Board of Directors which includes members with broad industry, technical and international experience
The Italian Private Equity firm CAPE Natexis and a group of business angels have also participated in this financing.
Cadence Design Systems remains a minority shareholder in the company.
Commenting on behalf of Sofinnova Partners, Jean Schmitt, Managing Partner said: 'We believe Accent has a major role to play as a global microelectronics product design and realisation company, especially as semiconductor technologies increasingly feature in everyday products from consumer to automotive, from healthcare to security and from industrial control to home automation'.
'Accent is perfectly placed to act as a product design partner for large companies as well as the intermediary between semiconductor fabs and clients as companies look for one-stop-shop suppliers'.
'Accent has developed the ideal platforms to address these large emerging markets and its highly skilled management team, led by CEO Massimo Vanzi, undoubtedly has the credentials to further develop the company's solid reputation for quality design and product realisation services'.
Further reading
Italian designers set up shop in Cambridge
A new UK sales office in Cambridge brings Accent closer to its customers from both a sales and design perspective
Accent names Jaleco as Nordic partner
Accent has announced the expansion of its 'Highway to Silicon' programme with the appointment of Jaleco Nordic as its new business development partner for the Nordic region
Low-power design successfully validated
Accent has successfully validated a low-power design flow using the Cadence Encounter digital IC design platform and ARM Artisan physical IP
Marco Vismara, CEO of Cape Natexis, said: 'The presence of a team of financial investors will give Accent's management team the financial support and the additional skills needed to further develop the company based on continuous innovation and an increased presence at a global level'.
Founded in 1993, Accent draws on over 1000 man years of product design and realisation experience that has resulted in the implementation of over 300 designs with an impressive track record of 98% first-time working silicon and 50 million semiconductor parts manufactured for clients.
Accent provides a full turnkey solution for microelectronics product design and realisation from concept definition through complex architecture and design implementation to supply chain management for volume production, all summed up by the company's motto: 'highway to silicon'.
Accent has access to world class pure play foundry partners including TSMC, Chartered and SMIC and is partnering with IDMs like STMicroelectronics and Infineon.
Drawing on its various design platforms, including ARM and sensor-based platforms, Accent works closely with IDMs, OEMs and fabless and chipless companies alike, as well as increasingly with nonelectronics companies that need access to electronics expertise as part of their product innovation processes.
Today, Accent boasts a wide range of analogue, RF, digital, low-power design, SoC and embedded processor expertise in a broad range of markets from telecommunications to multimedia, from automotive to biomedical and from industrial control to home automation.
'We are extremely delighted to receive this financing round led by Sofinnova Partners', said Massimo Vanzi, Accent's CEO.
'This investment will allow Accent to aggressively pursue its strategic development plans including scaling up its global sales operations by opening new offices in Europe and overseas as well as expand into cost-effective areas such as Eastern Europe, China and Singapore'.
'Having benefited considerably from the depth of experience of our two founding companies, we are completely enthused by the prospect of developing Accent as a truly independent player in the product design and realisation services market'.
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