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Electronic System Design Industry Reports 17% Revenue Growth in Q1 2021
July 16, 2021 | SEMIEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Electronic System Design (ESD) industry revenue increased 17% to $3.15 billion in Q1 2021, the strongest first-quarter growth ever, the ESD Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community, announced in the Q1 2021 Electronic Design Market Data (EDMD) report. The first-quarter revenue compares to $2.69 billion in Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average, which compares the most recent four quarters to the prior four, rose 15%, the highest annual growth since 2011.
“The industry reported substantial, double-digit year-over-year revenue growth for Q1 2021,” said Walden C. Rhines, Executive Sponsor, SEMI Electronic Design Market Data report. “All product categories significantly contributed, with double-digit growth in the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), IC Physical Design and Verification, Printed Circuit Board and Multi-Chip Module (PCB and MCM), and Semiconductor IP (SIP) segments.”
“Geographically, the Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); and Asia Pacific (APAC) also reported double-digit growth,” Rhines said. “Q1 2021 marked a new high for quarterly growth of total license and maintenance revenue, as well as IC physical design and verification.”
The companies tracked in the EDMD report employed 49,024 people in Q1 2021, a 6.7% increase over the Q1 2020 headcount of 45,938 and up 1.1% compared to Q4 2020.
The quarterly EDMD report contains detailed revenue information with the following category and geographic breakdowns.
Revenue by Product and Application Category
- CAE revenue increased 14% to $974.1 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter CAE moving average increased 12.5%.
- IC Physical Design and Verification revenue surged 34.4% to $682.5 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average for the category rose 23.6%.
- Printed Circuit Board and Multi-Chip Module (PCB and MCM) revenue increased 15.3% to $289.2 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average for PCB and MCM increased 5.3%.
- SIP revenue rose 12.9% to $1,113 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter SIP moving average grew 17.1%.
- Services revenue increased 0.1% to $98.9 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter Services moving average held steady with no growth.
Revenue by Region
- The Americas, the largest reporting region by revenue, purchased $1.28 billion of electronic system design products and services in Q1 2021, a 15% increase compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average for the Americas rose 13.5%.
- Europe, Middle East, and Africa revenue increased 14% to $447.3 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average for EMEA grew 6.7%.
- Japan revenue decreased 3.7% to $258.8 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average for Japan rose 4.3%.
- Asia Pacific revenue increased 26.9% to $1,166.3 million compared to Q1 2020. The four-quarter moving average for APAC increased 23.8%.
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EMAC Returns with Bright Electronics Manufacturing Challenge 2026
04/30/2026 | SMTAThe Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly Collaborative (EMAC) has announced the return of the Bright Electronics Manufacturing Challenge 2026, an immersive, hands-on student competition that puts real electronics manufacturing experience into the hands of the next generation of engineers.
A Designer's Focus on High Density
04/30/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007 MagazineVern Solberg is a distinguished member of the Global Electronics Association Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame and has served as chair or vice chair of many committees, developing technical standards and implementation guidelines, including the IPC-7090 series, which focuses on design for manufacturing and reliability for electronic assemblies. He’s a long-time contributor to Design007 Magazine, and he conducted a half-day tutorial at APEX EXPO 2026, where he addressed 2D, 2.5D, and 3D packaging and ultra-high density hybrid bond interconnect. I caught up with Vern at the show and asked about his pivot from addressing more standard design challenges to his focus on high-density circuits.
Zuken Launches GENESYS 2026 to Broaden Access and Improve MBSE Workflows
04/28/2026 | ZukenZuken announced GENESYS 2026, the latest version of its model-based systems engineering platform, with updates designed to improve performance, expand access to model-based information, and enhance the day-to-day modeling experience for engineering teams.
EDADOC: Building the ‘Neural Hub’ for High-Compute Chips Within a Compact Space
04/28/2026 | ECIOEvery chip to the market must pass a stringent checkpoint before shipment known as ATE testing. Serving as the physical “neural hub” that connects test equipment worth millions of dollars with the device under test, the performance of the ATE test board directly determines the accuracy, efficiency, and final yield of chip testing. Amid the rapid rise of high-compute chips, what extreme challenges is this seemingly small circuit board facing? How is EDADOC addressing industry pain points through its one-stop “design + manufacturing” model?
Cadence Reports Q1 2026 Financial Results
04/28/2026 | Cadence Design SystemsCadence had a strong start to 2026, delivering a solid Q1 with accelerating AI demand and record backlog, reflecting strong customer commitment to our AI-driven portfolio,” said Anirudh Devgan, president and chief executive officer.