What is needed to open a start-up company in the filed of mixed signal IC design ?

[haykding]

What is needed to open a start-up fabless company in the filed of mixed signal IC design ?
What type of devices/IP need to be designed (Wireless, USB, ADC/DAC , Power Management , PLL etc...)?
How to find/attract customers ?
Where to fabricate the chip with the minimal cost ?

Let's assume that I have a all type software for designing the chip (schematic/layout capture software, RTL to GDS software).


In general, which steps need to be done for a success ?

 

[erikl]

Re: What is needed to open a start-up company in the field of mixed signal IC design

What is needed to open a start-up fabless company in the filed of mixed signal IC design ?

• Experience, to be proven. Lots of.
• Money. Quite a lot.
• Stamina. A lot of.

What type of devices/IP need to be designed (Wireless, USB, ADC/DAC , Power Management , PLL etc...)?

All these, and more, up to your clients requirements.

How to find/attract customers ?

Verbal recommendation and advertisements, e.g. here, also, in this EDAboard forum.
Or see e.g. this facebook ad from an Egyptian Design House.

Where to fabricate the chip with the minimal cost ?

Depends very much on the planned volume.

• You'd know some foundries from your experience.
• Get offers from other foundries.
• Know your (or your customer's) country's Small and Medium Enterprises IC Development Sponsoring Program(s), which could advise on such foundries.
• Know e.g. the MOSIS IC Service system.

Let's assume that I have a all type software for designing the chip (schematic/layout capture software, RTL to GDS software).

Don't forget the verification tools (e.g. TA, and Extract+LVS)!

Getting the software usually isn't the problem, usually is for free.
The licenses is, which cost (a lot of) money ;-)

In general, which steps need to be done for a success ?

Show and prove your experience in this field, if possible with successfully manufactured ICs.

 

[haykding]

Re: What is needed to open a start-up company in the field of mixed signal IC design

Thanks for the reply

Experience, to be proven. Lots of.

How many years approximately ?

Know e.g. the MOSIS IC Service system.

I think that this one is the most suitable choice.

The licenses is, which cost (a lot of) money

Can I just use cracked versions ? Can it bring a problems? )))

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In general, which steps need to be done for a success ?

Can I follow with the following steps?

Let's imagine the situation ... I can design ADC which is comparable with industry standards. I had fabricated the chip tested it and after show that I can design a chip from the scratch. So after all in this way I'm creating portfolio.
Can this be the first steps when after doing it , customers can rely on you and order a chip?

 

[D.A.(Tony)Stewart]

You need to know your competition and how to be better in some way; price, performance, delivery, support, warranty and not be significantly worse in others. A benchmark is needed with Case history to prove experience, otherwise, and you need angel funds for your venture, as production setup costs for fabless design service is not cheap or customers with deep pockets.