Arm Sells Artisan Physical IP Business to Cadence

Recently, Cadence Design Systems, a leading provider of electronic design automation (EDA) tools and semiconductor IP, announced it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Arm’s Artisan physical IP business. The acquisition includes standard cell libraries, memory compilers, and general-purpose I/O (GPIO) solutions optimized for advanced process nodes across major foundries.

This strategic move significantly enhances Cadence’s expanding portfolio of design IP, which already includes leading-edge protocol and interface IP, memory interface IP, and advanced-node SerDes IP. It also aligns with Cadence’s plan to acquire Secure-IC, known for embedded security IP, reinforcing its end-to-end chiplet and SoC design capabilities.

Arm's Artisan physical IP is widely used in the design and manufacturing of complex system-on-chip (SoC) integrated circuits. The platform consists of logic libraries, embedded memory compilers, and interface IP tailored for performance, density, power efficiency, and yield. Artisan IP supports technology nodes from 250nm down to 3nm, helping to streamline implementation and reduce project risk for next-generation IC designs. When combined with POP IP and architectural IP solutions, it accelerates core hardening and SoC deployment.

Over the years, Arm has collaborated with leading foundries—including TSMC, Samsung, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, and UMC—to optimize Artisan IP for fast and reliable silicon implementation across a wide range of manufacturing nodes.

Boyd Phelps, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Silicon Solutions Group at Cadence, stated:
"Arm's Artisan IP has a 25-year legacy and a strong presence across global foundry ecosystems. With this acquisition, Cadence will enter the foundational physical IP market, opening up new growth opportunities. We're gaining critical technologies and expertise to elevate our chiplet and design services strategy, delivering even greater value to our customers through Cadence's comprehensive stack of IP, libraries, tools, and services."

Kevork Kechichian, Executive Vice President of Solutions Engineering at Arm, added:
"We are committed to ensuring that the foundational physical IP required for deploying Arm technology remains accessible to the ecosystem. The Artisan brand has built a strong foundation, and we believe it will continue to play a vital role in the semiconductor industry with Cadence as its new steward."

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Cadence anticipates minimal impact on its revenue and earnings for the current fiscal year.