AWR Corporation

AWR Corporation, initially founded as Applied Wave Research in 1994, operates as a key player in the electronic design automation (EDA) software sector. The company was established by Joseph E. Pekarek, Ted A. Miracco, Stephen A. Maas, and Paul Cameron, who were colleagues at Hughes Aircraft. Their shared background in defense electronics and RF/microwave design spurred the creation of a firm dedicated to improving the design efficiency of high-frequency circuits and systems. Pekarek, who served as CTO, brought a deep academic and practical background in numerical electromagnetics and microwave circuits. Miracco's experience spanned EDA, semiconductors, and defense electronics, having worked at companies like EEsof Inc. before its acquisition by Hewlett Packard.

The company provides a computer-based environment for designing hardware for wireless and high-speed digital products. Its software is utilized for radio frequency (RF), microwave, and high-frequency analog circuit and system design. The client base includes corporations involved in the development of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, wireless communications equipment, and systems for the aerospace and defense sectors, such as radar and electronic warfare systems. Revenue is generated through the sale and support of its specialized engineering software licenses. The core of AWR's offering is the AWR Design Environment platform, which includes a portfolio of integrated software tools such as Microwave Office, Visual System Simulator (VSS), Analog Office, AXIEM, and Analyst. Microwave Office, first demonstrated in 1998, integrates electromagnetic simulation, circuit simulation, and schematic capture. VSS evolved from the acquisition of ICUCOM Corporation in 1999 and provides system-level simulation. The product suite aims to create a seamless workflow from schematic entry and layout to electromagnetic and circuit theory, covering both frequency and time-domain methods.

AWR's growth trajectory includes several key acquisitions to enhance its technology portfolio. In 1999, it acquired ICUCOM to build its system simulation capabilities. In 2005, the company bought APLAC Solutions, a Finnish firm specializing in simulation and analysis software for analog and RF design, particularly for mobile phone RF integrated circuits. Later, in 2008, AWR acquired Simulation Technology and Applied Research (STAAR) to add 3D FEM EM simulation capabilities, which were marketed as the Analyst software. The company's journey also involved significant changes in ownership. After receiving investments from entities like CMEA Ventures, Intel Capital, and Synopsys Inc., AWR was acquired by National Instruments in 2011 for approximately $58 million. In a subsequent move, Cadence Design Systems acquired AWR from National Instruments in January 2020 for about $160 million, integrating AWR's RF design tools with its own platforms like Allegro and Virtuoso to offer more comprehensive solutions for complex ICs, packages, and boards.

Keywords: electronic design automation, EDA software, RF design, microwave circuit design, high-frequency electronics, circuit simulation, electromagnetic analysis, Visual System Simulator, Microwave Office, AXIEM, Analyst, semiconductor design, aerospace electronics, defense systems, wireless communications, National Instruments, Cadence Design Systems, Joseph E. Pekarek, Ted Miracco