What Intrinsic ID does

Intrinsic ID B.V. is a Netherlands-incorporated semiconductor intellectual property company that specialized in Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) technology for hardware-based digital authentication in connected devices. Founded in 2008 and operating from Sunnyvale in the United States alongside its Dutch legal base, the company developed PUF IP that exploits the inherent, random physical variations in each silicon chip to generate unclonable cryptographic keys and device identifiers without persistently storing secrets on the device. The product portfolio at acquisition comprised PUF Base/Premium (formerly QuiddiKey) and AP PUF Base/Premium (formerly QuiddiKey 400) as core hardware IP offerings, a software-only PUF implementation (formerly Zign), and FPGA-targeted variants for AMD/Xilinx (PUF FPGA-X) and Intel/Altera (PUF FPGA-A) devices.

The technology addresses a structurally difficult problem in embedded security—key extraction attacks on stored secrets—by deriving keys on demand from each chip's unique silicon fingerprint. Across its independent history, the company secured certifications from EMVCo, Visa, Common Criteria EAL6+, PSA Certified, and ioXt, and its PUF IP was deployed in over one billion certified devices spanning payment, industrial IoT, automotive, aerospace and government, and medical end markets. Intrinsic ID generated revenue through a B2B semiconductor IP licensing model, with typical mechanics combining upfront license fees and per-design royalties paid by chip manufacturers integrating the IP into system-on-chip designs. Customers were primarily semiconductor companies, with sales conducted via direct enterprise engagement.

In March 2024, Synopsys completed the acquisition of Intrinsic ID B.V., integrating the PUF technology into its DesignWare IP security portfolio. Following the transaction, the technology is marketed as Synopsys PUF IP and distributed through Synopsys' global enterprise sales channel to its semiconductor customer base, effectively ending Intrinsic ID's independent commercial trajectory and making future financial performance reportable only as part of Synopsys' Security IP segment.

Name

Intrinsic ID

Legal name

Intrinsic ID B.V.

Website

https://intrinsic-id.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Intrinsic ID, acquired by Synopsys in March 2024, provided Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) semiconductor IP that generated unclonable cryptographic keys and device IDs from each chip's inherent silicon variations. It served chip manufacturers across payments, industrial IoT, automotive, aerospace, and medical end markets, with technology deployed in over one billion certified devices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunnyvale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Semiconductor IP Licensing: Licensing of Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) intellectual property to semiconductor companies for integration into their chip designs. Revenue generated through IP licensing fees and potentially royalty-based arrangements typical of semiconductor IP business models.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Intrinsic ID develops and licenses Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) hardware security intellectual property for semiconductor designs. Its SRAM PUF technology generates cryptographic keys and unique identifiers from inherent silicon chip variations, eliminating the need for persistent key storage. The portfolio includes core PUF IP (QuiddiKey), advanced PUF IP (QuiddiKey 400), a software-based PUF (Zign), and FPGA-targeted variants for AMD/Xilinx and Intel/Altera platforms.

Product overview

Intrinsic ID was a provider of Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) security IP, acquired by Synopsys in March 2024. The product portfolio consists of hardware and software PUF solutions: PUF Base/Premium (formerly QuiddiKey) and AP PUF Base/Premium (formerly QuiddiKey 400) as the core hardware IP offerings, PUF Base/Premium - Software (formerly Zign) for software-based deployments, and PUF FPGA-X Base/Premium and PUF FPGA-A Premium for FPGA implementations on AMD/Xilinx and Intel/Altera platforms respectively. These products enable cryptographic key generation, device authentication, and secure storage without persistent key storage, targeting semiconductor designs from microcontrollers to high-performance FPGAs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PUF Base/Premium (formerly QuiddiKey) Physical Unclonable Function IP that generates unique identifiers and cryptographic keys from inherent silicon chip characteristics. Provides hardware-based security for embedded systems, enabling authentication, key vault, and secure storage without storing keys permanently. Targeted at semiconductor and chip manufacturers designing SoCs.
• AP PUF Base/Premium (formerly QuiddiKey 400) Advanced PUF IP variant offering enhanced performance and features for high-security applications requiring robust authentication and key generation capabilities. Targeted at next-generation semiconductor security applications.
• PUF Base/Premium - Software (formerly Zign) Software-based PUF implementation that enables PUF technology functionality through software rather than dedicated hardware, offering flexibility for deployment across different chip architectures from microcontrollers to high-performance FPGAs.
• PUF FPGA-X Base/Premium PUF IP specifically designed for AMD/Xilinx FPGAs, enabling secure key generation and device authentication for FPGA-based designs with flexible key management.
• PUF FPGA-A Premium PUF IP designed for Intel (Altera) FPGAs, providing hardware security and authentication capabilities for FPGA implementations with flexible key management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deployed in over 1 billion devices with major certifications (EMVCo, Visa, CC EAL6+, PSA, ioXt)

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SynopsyscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Synopsys completed the acquisition of Intrinsic ID B.V. in March 2024 to enhance its semiconductor security IP offerings. The acquisition integrated Intrinsic ID's PUF technology into Synopsys' DesignWare IP portfolio, providing Synopsys with Physical Unclonable Function IP for creating hardware roots of trust in semiconductor designs. This strategic acquisition consolidated Synopsys' position in the security IP market.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rambus: Rambus is a leading semiconductor IP company offering security IP including root-of-trust, hardware crypto, and key provisioning — directly competing with Intrinsic ID in silicon-proven security IP for chipmakers.
• Secure-IC: Secure-IC provides embedded cybersecurity IP cores (root of trust, crypto accelerators, PUF) for SoC designers — a direct competitor recently acquired by Cadence, signaling the strategic value of the same category Intrinsic ID occupies.

Broad incumbents

• Synopsys: Synopsys is Intrinsic ID's parent company and the broadest incumbent in semiconductor IP, with the DesignWare portfolio covering security, interface, and foundation IP — including the now-integrated PUF offering.
• Arm: Arm offers TrustZone, CryptoCell, and other hardware security IP integrated across its processor cores, providing a competing hardware root-of-trust approach used by hundreds of chipmakers and overlapping with Intrinsic ID's target customers.
• Infineon Technologies: Infineon is a leading secure element and Trusted Platform Module vendor whose hardware security chips compete with software/PUF-based alternatives in payment, automotive, and IoT authentication.
• NXP Semiconductors: NXP integrates secure elements and edge security IP across automotive and IoT SoCs, providing an alternative hardware root-of-trust offering to Intrinsic ID's PUF-based approach.
• Microchip Technology: Microchip offers CryptoAuthentication and CryptoMCU products providing hardware-based secure key storage, overlapping with Intrinsic ID's microcontroller and embedded security use cases.
• Maxim Integrated (Analog Devices): Analog Devices/Maxim provides secure authenticators and hardware security ICs used for chip-level device authentication, a comparable hardware root-of-trust approach for IoT and embedded customers.

Emerging players

• Crypto Quantique: Crypto Quantique is an emerging PUF-based security IP provider focused on IoT device identity and quantum-derived keys, competing with Intrinsic ID in the connected device authentication niche.
• PQShield: PQShield is an emerging post-quantum cryptography IP provider whose hardware and software PQC offerings are increasingly paired with hardware roots of trust like PUF, representing a complementary/competing security IP approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IntrinsicID
• Facebookfacebook.com/367721959973148
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/intrinsic-id

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Intrinsic ID