According to the official press release, Cadence has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Arm's Artisan foundation IP business, expanding its design IP portfolio and entering the foundation IP market for the first time. The deal includes standard cell libraries, memory compilers, and general-purpose I/Os optimized for advanced nodes at leading foundries. It is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
The acquisition will be structured as an asset purchase agreement with a concurrent technology license agreement, giving Cadence access to key technologies and an experienced engineering team. The move aligns with Cadence's strategy to accelerate customers' time to market and optimize cost, power, and performance for system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The Artisan IP business complements Cadence's existing offerings in protocol and interface IP, SerDes, memory interfaces, and embedded security IP from the pending Secure-IC acquisition.
"With the addition of Artisan IP, Cadence will be well positioned to capitalize on new growth opportunities in the foundation IP market," said Boyd Phelps, SVP and GM of Cadence's Silicon Solutions Group. "We will gain key technology and expertise to enhance our design services and chiplet offerings."
Arm EVP Kevork Kechichian emphasized continued ecosystem support: "We believe this technology will remain vital for the semiconductor industry, and Cadence is the ideal partner to carry it forward."
Article edited by Jack Wu
