Elliptic Technologies

Elliptic Technologies, initially founded as Elliptic Semiconductor in August 2001, established itself as a specialized provider of embedded security solutions for the semiconductor industry. The company's business model centered on licensing semiconductor intellectual property (SIP) cores and software to a global client base that included ASIC manufacturers and embedded system OEMs. This approach allowed system-on-chip (SoC) designers to integrate security features directly into their hardware, addressing the needs of markets like wireless communications, storage, content distribution, and medical devices.

The product portfolio was comprehensive, featuring cryptography cores, security protocol accelerators, and embedded security IP modules. A key offering was the Ellipsys Cryptography Middleware, a software library in C source code providing a full suite of symmetric and asymmetric algorithms such as ECC and RSA for embedded applications. The company also developed the Ellipsys Trust Framework, designed to deliver anti-cloning and anti-counterfeiting measures for customers, particularly those with distributed manufacturing processes. In June 2009, the company rebranded from Elliptic Semiconductor Inc. to Elliptic Technologies Inc. to better reflect its expanding range of products and services, which had grown to include a significant software and security consulting component.

In 2011, recognizing the need to accelerate growth, the board appointed Vijay Dube as President and CEO. Dube, a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in semiconductors and wireless technology, pivoted the company's focus from the networking space towards high-growth consumer electronics, mobile, automotive, and the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) markets. This strategic shift proved successful, leading to significant business growth. The journey culminated in June 2015, when Elliptic Technologies was acquired by Synopsys, Inc., a global leader in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP. The acquisition integrated Elliptic's security IP and its experienced R&D team into Synopsys's DesignWare IP portfolio, reinforcing Synopsys's offerings for developing secure connected devices.

Keywords: embedded security, semiconductor intellectual property, SIP cores, system-on-chip, SoC security, cryptography middleware, hardware security, content protection, anti-counterfeiting, secure boot, ASIC security, IoT security, DesignWare IP, electronic design automation, security protocol accelerators, Ellipsys Trust Framework, Synopsys, digital rights management, secure communications, platform security