Mentor Graphics Backs Open PDK Initiative

WILSONVILLE, Ore., October 14, 2010 - Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) today reinforced its support for the work of the Open PDK (Process Design Kit) Coalition with the announcement that Linda Fosler, director of marketing for the Deep Submicron Division, will serve as Open PDK Coalition Vice-Chair.

The goal of the Open PDK Coalition is to define a set of open standards to allow a PDK to be as portable across foundries and as agnostic to EDA tools as possible. The Si2 Open PDK will enable greater efficiency in PDK development, verification and delivery, and will provide equivalent support to all foundries, all EDA tool vendors, all IP providers, and all end users. The Coalition will define new standard specifications at the PDK development environment level, as well as standards for delivery of a populated PDK file set.

Prior to Si2’s focus on interoperable PDKs, Mentor developed its own Design Kit Initiative. The key objective of the Mentor initiative is to support all formats needed by foundries and their customers: Mentor TDK, Cadence PDK, iPDK and the Open PDK, as well as support future formats. In addition, the Mentor Design Kit initiative supports the OA (Open Access) database.

“The industry has too long been captive to inefficiencies and lack of portability due to proprietary design kit formats,” said Robert Hum, vice president and general manager, Mentor Graphics Deep Submicron Division. “Open PDKs work, and the creation of an implementation-free standard will dramatically improve the ability of customers to choose EDA tools and foundries that best meet their business objectives. Mentor is very pleased to be a founding member of the Si2 Open PDK effort.”

About Mentor Graphics
Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world’s most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $800 million. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

For more information, please contact:

(Mentor Graphics and Mentor are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company and/or product names are the trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.)