Semiconductor & EDA

Semiconductors, and the electronic design automation (EDA) tools used to create them, have always been the key enablers of the computer, communications, and consumer electronics industries. However, the desire for “faster and cheaper,” as expressed by Moore’s Law, is no longer the only driving force behind the industry. Now energy concerns are pushing semiconductor designers to emphasize lower energy consumption over speed, and semiconductor technologies are critical to the new industries of solar photovoltaics and LED lighting. Mobility, and our desire to stay constantly connected, are also driving the industry to higher levels of integration and faster communications, especially wireless.

At Foundation Capital, we have always seen the semiconductor industry as one that is ripe for truly innovative thinking and inspired vision. It takes a special understanding of the technologies, markets, and the supply chain—how the semiconductor technology benefit is ultimately delivered to the end consumer—to identify and support the entrepreneurs who embody those elements and who can bring those visions to reality.

Current Investments

	ACCO Semiconductor ACCO is a fabless semiconductor developer of innovative CMOS RF solutions for the wireless industry. Based in both France and California, the company has a long history in delivering advanced …	READ MORE
	Atheros Communications Atheros Communications is a leading developer of semiconductor system solutions for wireless and other network communications products. Atheros combines its wireless and networking systems expertise with …	READ MORE
	Extreme DA Extreme DA is an electronic design automation (EDA) company focused on variation-aware parametric yield analysis, optimization, and sign-off for transfer of integrated circuit (IC) designs into manufacturing…	READ MORE
	Jasper Design Automation Jasper Design Automation is the market leader in formal functional property verification.…	READ MORE
	Quartics Quartics is the premier provider of video processing solutions to enable streaming media over wireless and wired networks. The company’s media processing solutions are designed to flawlessly transmit video and audio…	READ MORE
	SiBEAM SiBEAM is a developer of semiconductor systems solutions for high-speed communications platforms. The company develops new, intelligent, low-cost wireless technologies to meet demand for high-bandwidth services …	READ MORE
	Solarflare Communications SOLARFLARE Communications is the leader in semiconductors that enable the rapid adoption of 10-Gigabit Ethernet communications for data center and enterprise networks. The company’s products include low-power…	READ MORE
	Synfora Synfora, Inc. delivers the first true “algorithm-to-tapeout” synthesis technology, enabling designers to rapidly explore and implement C algorithms in silicon …	READ MORE
	Tensilica Tensilica is the leader and major innovator in configurable processor technology for semiconductor System-on-a-Chip (SOC) developers. The company’s easy-to-use automated processor design systems…	READ MORE
	XMOS XMOS provides a new type of programmable component, Software Defined Silicon (SDS), based on an array of high-performance, event-driven processors. Designs are created in high-level languages, delivering…	READ MORE