Vinci4D’s physics model changes chip design

Vinci4D Inc. offers a new approach to semiconductor design based on fundamental physics equations.

The company offers Simulation software for chip designersand provides an alternative to traditional simulation methods, including finite element analysis, a technique that engineers use to study the physical behavior of objects. Instead, Vinci4D’s technology uses pre-trained physical models to accelerate simulations and analyze multiple physical phenomena simultaneously.

“Vinci is fundamentally changing the way design and analysis is done,” he said Karthik Aravamudhan (pictured), Global Client Director at Vinci4D. “The entire industry is talking about agentic AI and how workflow automation and orchestration happens. That means more simulations, more analysis and a lot more that needs to happen under the hood. Vinci is trying to address this problem.”

Aravamudhan spoke to the CUBEs Christopher Bertrand at SEMICON West, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s live streaming studio. They discussed Vinci’s approach to physics-based simulation and its implications for semiconductor design and agent AI. (*Disclosure below.)

Basic physical models are changing semiconductor design

According to Aravamudhan, fundamental physical models could play a growing role in semiconductor technology. He highlighted the strategic shift from design-technology co-optimization to system-technology co-optimization, which involves viewing chip design as part of a larger system.

“[Vinci] “Basically you’re trying to solve the problem at the level of fundamental physics,” Aravamudhan said. “When you’re designing, you’re trying to understand what the package looks like. As you’re designing the package, you’re trying to understand what the board looks like. So you’re designing a whole system; you’re no longer just designing a part of it.”

Vinci trains its models using physical equations rather than customer data, reducing the need to disclose proprietary design information during model training. Its technology also aims to reduce the time and cost of simulations by analyzing multiple physical phenomena simultaneously.

“The average customer across the semiconductor ecosystem today is trying to solve a specific physics.” Aravamudhan explained. “It could be thermal, it could be mechanical and it definitely could be[thing]. They try to solve one physics at a time because, as we know, that’s the only way. This takes quite a while. What Vinci is trying to do with these fundamental physics models is to try to solve this physics as it is, and solve several of them at the same time.”

Vinci recently closed a $250 million Series B funding round at a $1.5 billion valuation. Co-led by Advent International, Temasek and Xora. The startup now plans to expand its reach beyond the semiconductor industry to other hardware industries, including automotive and aerospace applications.

“Funding gives us… the foundation to achieve bigger goals [things]” said Aravamudhan. “Given the different physics we can solve, from a go-to-market team and a go-to-market approach, it gives us so many different dimensions to focus on.” The fact that these big names are supporting us certainly helps a lot and shows that they not only believe in Vinci, but also in the technology.”

Here’s the full video interview, part of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of SEMICON West:

(*Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the SEMICON West event. Neither Vinci, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over theCUBE or SiliconANGLE content.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE