Mentor Graphics Acquires Berkeley Design Automation to Advance Nanometer Analog/Mixed-Signal Verification

WILSONVILLE, Ore., March 21, 2014 – Mentor Graphics Corp. (NASDAQ: MENT) today announced that it has acquired Berkeley Design Automation, Inc. (BDA), a recognized leader in nanometer analog, mixed-signal, and RF circuit verification. With over one hundred customers worldwide, BDA uniquely addresses nanometer circuit design challenges via its Analog FastSPICE™ unified verification platform and exceptional vertical-application expertise. The acquisition of BDA aligns with Mentor’s goal to deliver technologies with superior performance and automation for the growing challenges of Analog/Mixed-Signal (AMS) verification.

“BDA has built an outstanding reputation helping nanometer-scale analog, mixed-signal, and RF design teams rigorously verify and characterize leading-edge circuits,” said Ravi Subramanian, president and CEO of Berkeley Design Automation. “With Mentor’s outstanding market reach and our combined technology portfolio, we look forward to providing world-class solutions to the entire AMS design community.”

“Tight integration between best-in-class tools, strong foundry partnerships and impeccable engineering work were the criteria used in our decision to acquire BDA,” said Robert Hum, vice president and general manager, DSM division at Mentor. “When complex analog and mixed-signal circuits are designed for nanometer geometries, the verification tools must have the capacity, capability and performance to enable designers to predictably and reliably solve increasingly tough verification problems. Joining forces with BDA gives our mutual customers the most advanced tools that deal with the growing number of nanometer-scale physical effects that design teams are facing. The BDA AFS Platform combined with Mentor’s proven AMS verification tools, Eldo® Classic, Eldo Premier, ADit™ and our leading AMS verification platform, Questa® ADMS, creates the industry’s most powerful portfolio of solutions for addressing nanometer circuit verification challenges.”

“Bessemer Venture Partners is excited by Mentor’s acquisition of BDA,” said Umesh Padval, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. “BVP backs great entrepreneurs who lead transformative startups - and BDA certainly fits that strategy. We are proud of BDA's success, and we believe the combination with Mentor will create the industry's most powerful mixed-signal verification technology business with critical scale and a large market reach.”

About Berkeley Design Automation Graphics

Berkeley Design Automation, Inc. is the recognized leader in nanometer circuit verification. The company combines the world’s fastest nanometer circuit verification platform, Analog FastSPICE, with exceptional application expertise to uniquely address nanometer circuit design challenges. More than 100 companies rely on Berkeley Design Automation to verify their nanometer-scale circuits. Berkeley Design Automation was recognized as one of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in North America by revenue in 2011 and again in 2012 by Deloitte. For more information, visit http://www.berkeley-da.com.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the worlds most successful electronic, semiconductor and systems companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues in the last fiscal year in excess of $1.15 billion. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com.