Happy’s Tech Talk #42: Applying Density Equations to UHDI Design
Beyond Design: Effective Floor Planning Strategies
Global PCB Connections: Understanding the General Fabrication Process—A Designer’s Hidden Advantage
DigiKey Announces Sponsorship of KiCad to Support Open-Source EDA Development
March 26, 2025 | DigiKeyEstimated reading time: 1 minute
DigiKey, a leading global commerce distributor offering the largest selection of technical components and automation products in stock for immediate shipment, is proud to announce its continued sponsorship of KiCad, the leading open-source Electronic Design Automation (EDA) suite, reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing open-source tools for the electrical engineering community.
DigiKey is proud to continue its sponsorship of the KiCad open-source Electronic Design Automation suite.
KiCad’s mission is to provide the best possible cross platform electronics design application for professional electronics designers. The organization has been instrumental in providing an accessible, approachable program, enabling engineers, students and professionals to design printed circuit boards (PCBs) without the constraints of costly software licenses. DigiKey has been supporting KiCad for seven years, including past fund-drives, promotions and securing the kicad.org domain to ensure the project’s continued accessibility to the global engineering community.
“DigiKey is thrilled to once again support KiCad, which provides an essential tool for electronics designers worldwide,” said Cody Walseth, digital product owner at DigiKey. “At DigiKey, we believe that accessible, open-source design tools are vital to fostering creativity, and advancing technology and our sponsorship of KiCad reaffirms our commitment to providing engineers with the best resources to bring their ideas to life.”
Through the fund-drive donation match campaign, DigiKey continues supporting the KiCad platform and community, helping to increase community-submitted donations to contribute to critical feature enhancements, usability improvements and long-term sustainability of KiCad version 10.
“KiCad is grateful for our longstanding partnership with DigiKey,” said Wayne Stambaugh, project leader at KiCad. “DigiKey’s continued support has helped the project to grow substantially over the years, and we look forward to many more years of bringing open-source electronic design to engineers around the world.”
As engineers and innovators continue to push the boundaries of electronics design, KiCad remains steadfast in its mission to support accessible, high-quality design tools, while DigiKey continues to be the leading source of products, helping shorten the design cycle and accelerate progress.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
08/22/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Also looking good is my list of must-read articles. In this week’s roundup, we have a variety of articles covering design, manufacturing, sustainability, and, of course, tariff negotiations. We have a milestone anniversary to celebrate as well, with Dan Beaulieu about to publish his 1,000th column. When does Dan even sleep? Here’s to hoping that we have 1,000 more weeks of It’s Only Common Sense
New Episode Drop: MKS’ ESI’s Role in Optimize the Interconnect
08/21/2025 | I-Connect007In this latest episode, Casey Kruger, director of product marketing at MKS’ ESI, joins On the Line With… host Nolan Johnson to share how CO₂ laser technology delivers faster, more accurate vias in a smaller, more energy-efficient footprint.
PEDC Call for Abstracts Deadline Extended to Aug. 31
08/20/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamThe second Pan-European Electronics Design Conference (PEDC) will take place Jan. 21-22, 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic. The call for abstracts deadline has been extended to Aug. 31. Organized jointly by the German Electronics Design and Manufacturing Association (FED) and the Global Electronics Association (formerly IPC), PEDC serves as a European platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and innovation in electronics design and development.
How Good Design Enables Sustainable PCBs
08/21/2025 | Gerry Partida, Summit InterconnectSustainability has become a key focus for PCB companies seeking to reduce waste, conserve energy, and optimize resources. While many discussions on sustainability center around materials or energy-efficient processes, PCB design is an often overlooked factor that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Good design practices, especially those based on established IPC standards, play a central role in enabling sustainable PCB production. By ensuring designs are manufacturable and reliable, engineers can significantly reduce the environmental impact of their products.
Meet the Round 1 Winners of the Bright Manufacturing Student Challenge 2025
08/20/2025 | Tara Dunn, SMTAThe Bright Manufacturing Student Challenge is an opportunity for student teams to design and develop innovative solutions for real-world electronics manufacturing problems. The eight-week competition, sponsored by the Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly Collaborative (EMAC) through electronicsworkforce.com, allows students to showcase their technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.