
China's top player Empyrean eyes opportunities from US chip curbs on design software
Chinese chip-design software company
Empyrean Technology has pledged to become one of the world's top electronic design automation (EDA) providers, as new US export restrictions bring both opportunities and challenges to the domestic industry.
Founded in 2009 and based in Beijing, Empyrean aims to ascend to the top tier of EDA providers, capitalising on the struggles faced by its US competitors in selling to China because of new export controls on chip-design software, said Yu Han, a senior market director at Empyrean, at the World Semiconductor Conference in Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu province, on Friday.
The remarks came after Cadence Design Systems, Synopsys and Siemens EDA – the three leading EDA suppliers that collectively hold about 80 per cent of the global market share –
confirmed they had received notices from the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security regarding new export restrictions on software that could be used for developing advanced artificial intelligence chips.
Those export controls have raised hopes among Chinese investors and analysts that
local companies could seize new market opportunities. Besides Empyrean, other domestic EDA tool vendors, such as
Primarius Technologies and
Semitronix , have also garnered attention.
Play
Yu said China currently had over 100 domestic EDA companies, with Empyrean capturing half of that market share. He said Empyrean was the only Chinese company positioned among the second-tier global EDA providers, along with US firms Ansys and Keysight Technologies.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
39 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Senior Chilean lawmaker investigated over actions involving Chinese businessman
A high-ranking Chilean lawmaker is facing renewed scrutiny after records showed she helped arrange for a Chinese businessman to join an official parliamentary trip to China, where he coordinated logistics and took part in meetings with mainland authorities. Messages revealed by investigators on Thursday showed Karol Cariola, a member of Chile's Communist Party and former president of the country's Chamber of Deputies, may have used her position to benefit a Chinese national on several occasions. Prosecutors are now examining whether her actions amount to influence peddling, an allegation she denies. No formal charges have been filed. The businessman, Bo Yang, does not hold public office. But messages obtained by prosecutors and revealed by local media on Thursday showed that during a July 2024 trip to Beijing, he issued instructions to lawmakers, organised schedules and meals, and was present at formal events alongside Chinese officials. Chilean President Gabriel Boric, speaks during his annual address at the National Congress building in Valparaiso on June 1, 2025. Boric has said the courts must be allowed to act independently in the investigation. Photo: Reuters Investigators say Yang was included in the delegation at Cariola's request.


South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
‘We're not billiard balls': how China's EU charm offensive fell flat
For half a year, a heated debate has raged over whether US President Donald Trump 's return to office would push Europe and China closer together. Pragmatists, realpolitikers and Beijing's allies argued that the EU could not afford a trade war with both of the world's largest economies while footing the bill for a hot war in Ukraine For months, EU leaders fuelled the speculation by voicing openness to deeper trade ties with Beijing, in a dramatic rhetorical shift from the previous three years of hostilities. But the debate appears to have been settled this week with a resounding 'no'. Behind-the-scenes impatience with China's failure to put any meat on the bones of a much-vaunted charm offensive has spilled into the public realm. Brussels, staggered by Beijing's failure to move even an inch on its trade gripes, has had enough. 'The current global trading system is not working as it should. Guard rails are clearly missing. On this point, Donald is right,' said Ursula von der Leyen at this week's G7 summit in Canada , referring to China's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 as 'the biggest challenge' facing the global order.


South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong wedding firm boss arrested as closure leaves couples in lurch
Customs officers have arrested the owner of a Hong Kong wedding decoration company that closed suddenly leaving more than 100 engaged couples in dismay, with the firm revealed to have racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debts. Acting assistant superintendent Ho Wai-sum of customs' unfair trade practice investigation division said officers arrested the 40-year-old male owner of a wedding decoration company based in San Po Kong on Friday after receiving 166 complaints about the firm allegedly wrongly accepting payments. 'We suspect that when the owner received prepaid sums, there were no reasonable reasons to believe the company could provide the services promised,' he said. Last month, the suspected closure of Ps Wedding and Event Decoration, which had an office in San Po Kong, sparked 31 complaints to the Consumer Council involving more than HK$337,000 (US$43,200) in losses. Ho revealed that the 166 complaints made to customs involved HK$1.9 million in total, with each contract for between HK$3,000 and HK$40,000. The acting superintendent said preliminary investigations showed that the company, which had been operating for 13 years, owed money for rent and salaries before its abrupt closure.