Synopsys and GlobalFoundries launch university chip design pilot program

Synopsys Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPS) and GlobalFoundries (NASDAQ: GFS) announced a collaboration to establish a pilot educational program that enables universities to take chip designs from conception through manufacturing.

The program provides academic institutions with access to professional electronic design automation tools from Synopsys and manufacturing services from GlobalFoundries. Forty universities worldwide are participating in the pilot, which launched this fall with a focus on open-source 180MCU design flow.

Under the arrangement, Synopsys provides comprehensive support including professional-grade EDA tools, training and design materials through its cloud platform. GlobalFoundries manufactures the completed designs through its GlobalShuttle Multi-Project Wafer Program, which combines multiple institutional designs onto single wafers for fabrication.

"Partnering with GlobalFoundries to bring a full 'chip design to tapeout' course to universities is a game changer," said Dr. Patrick Haspel, executive director of Synopsys Academic & Research Alliances. "This collaboration will empower students with practical, hands-on experience using advanced tools and technologies."

The companies plan to expand the program by integrating the technology directly into classroom curricula. The next phase involves training professors to lead design courses, with students receiving manufactured chips for testing in subsequent semesters.

"By giving students and researchers the opportunity to bring their designs from concept to silicon, we're enriching chip design education and helping shape the future of our industry," said Bika Carter, director of external research and development at GlobalFoundries.

The initiative operates through Synopsys' Academic & Research Alliances program and GlobalFoundries' University Partnership Program. GlobalFoundries currently works with more than 80 universities, 110 professors and 600 students on semiconductor research projects.

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