MILPITAS, CA — Printed circuit board and multichip module design software revenue increased 15.3% to $289.2 million compared to the first quarter of 2020, said the ESD Alliance today, continuing a long run of growth. The four-quarter moving average, which compares the most recent four quarters to the prior four, increased 5.3%.

Electronic system design industry revenue increased 17% year-over-year to $3.16 billion in the first quarter, the strongest first-quarter growth ever. The four-quarter moving average rose 15%, the highest annual growth since 2011.

“The industry reported substantial double-digit year-over-year revenue growth for the first quarter 2021,” said Wally Rhines, spokesperson for the SEMI Electronic Design Market Data report. “All product categories significantly contributed, with double-digit growth in the computer-aided engineering, IC physical design and verification, printed circuit board and multichip module, and semiconductor IP segments.

“EDA license and maintenance, which includes PCB, is at an all-time record,” Rhines said to PCD&F in an interview recorded for the PCB Chat podcast.

“Geographically, the Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and Asia Pacific also reported double-digit growth. First quarter 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 employed 49,024 people during the quarter, up 6.7% year-over-year and 1.1% sequentially. EDA continued to growth during 2020, Rhines told PCD&F, because “design is something you can interact with people online. They didn’t reduce their personnel during Covid. They kept their people and continued to hire.

“This has historically gone on for decades.… Design continues pretty steadily, I believe because companies know someday the problem will be over, and they have to have new products.”

CAE revenue increased 14% year-over-year to $974.1 million. The four-quarter CAE moving average increased 12.5%. IC physical design and verification revenue surged 34.4% to $682.5 million. The four-quarter moving average for the category rose 23.6%. SIP revenue rose 12.9% to $1.1 billion. The four-quarter SIP moving average grew 17.1%.

Services revenue increased 0.1% to $98.9 million. The four-quarter moving average held steady with no growth.

The Americas, the largest reporting region by revenue, purchased $1.29 billion of electronic system design products and services in the first quarter, a 15% increase year-over-year. The four-quarter moving average for the Americas rose 13.5%.

Europe, Middle East, and Africa revenue increased 14% to $447.3 million. The four-quarter moving average grew 6.7%. Japan revenue decreased 3.7% to $258.8 million. The four-quarter moving average rose 4.3%. Asia Pacific revenue increased 26.9% to $1.17 billion. The four-quarter moving average increased 23.8%.

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