What EMA Design Automation does

EMA Design Automation is a Rochester, NY-based electronic design automation (EDA) solutions provider founded in 1989 by Manny Marcano. The company operates as a Cadence Channel Partner and is described as the largest scale of any reseller in the PCB industry. Its portfolio spans PCB design (OrCAD X, Allegro X), simulation and analysis (PSpice, Sigrity X, AWR, TimingDesigner), libraries and data management (CIP, EDM, EDABuilder, OMNYA), cable and wire harness design (SOLIDWORKS Electrical, CATIA Electrical), computational fluid dynamics (Celsius EC, Fidelity CFD, Fidelity Pointwise), and IC/package design (Advanced Package Designer, Sigrity XtractIM). Beyond resale, EMA develops and owns proprietary complementary tools — Component Information Portal (CIP), EDABuilder, TimingDesigner, CircuitSpace, and OMNYA — that extend the Cadence toolchain with library automation, supply chain intelligence, multi-CAD PDM, and PCB clustering.

The business makes money through four primary revenue streams: (1) subscription and perpetual license sales of Cadence EDA software (OrCAD X Standard $1,682-$6,760, Professional $2,656-$10,690, Capture $658-$2,540, TimingDesigner $2,640-$6,490 annually); (2) training services via EMA Academy ranging from free tutorials to $700 advanced workshops; (3) technical support subscriptions staffed by industry experts; and (4) custom development and systems integration services. Distribution is multi-channel — direct sales (877-362-3321), the ema-eda.com/store e-commerce storefront, a worldwide value-added reseller network, and PCB service bureaus — reaching both enterprise customers and SMBs/individuals via transparent online pricing and free trials. Customer segments span manufacturing/electronics, high-performance electronics designers (SI/PI/RF), and PCB design teams, with named adopters including Microsoft, Baidu, MediaTek, Solid State Logic, Simprints, OMICRON, LumenRadio, and ZF Automotive.

In 2025 EMA was acquired by Cadence Design Systems, ending 35+ years of independent channel-partner operation and folding EMA into Cadence's PCB solutions portfolio. Prior to that, the company executed two undisclosed acquisitions (DesignAdvance Systems in 2009 and Accelerated Designs in 2016), and has remained family-led throughout (Manny Marcano as President/CEO, Nancy Marcano as VP of Finance/Operations, Manny Marcano III as Executive General Manager). The company employs 51-100 people and operates globally through its reseller and service partner network.

Name

EMA Design Automation

Legal name

EMA Design Automation, Inc.

Website

https://ema-eda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EMA Design Automation is a Cadence Channel Partner providing PCB design EDA software (OrCAD X, Allegro X, PSpice, Sigrity X), proprietary library and data management tools, training, and engineering services to electronics manufacturers and PCB design teams worldwide. Acquired by Cadence in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

System-Level, Multi-Physics & Package/PCB Co-Design (EDA) (HDAHAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

EDA Cloud/SaaS, Design Data Management & Collaboration (HDAHAFAJ), Analog/Mixed-Signal & RF EDA Tools (HDAHAFAB), EDA Software Platforms (Digital Implementation, Verification & Signoff) (HDAHAFAA)

Keywords

• Electronic design automation
• PCB design software
• Circuit simulation
• Signal integrity analysis
• EDA channel partner

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CAD Software Sales: Sale of Cadence EDA software licenses including OrCAD X, Allegro X, PSpice, Sigrity X, and related tools. Available through multiple license types: Time-based Floating License (1-year), Time-based Single User License, and Perpetual Floating License.
2. Training Services: EMA Academy provides instructor-led training, on-demand courses, walkthroughs, and tutorials for PCB design, simulation, and data management. Courses range from free tutorials to $700 for advanced workshops.
3. Technical Support: Technical support services staffed with industry experts providing live, real-time assistance via phone, email, and web.
4. Custom Development & Integration: Custom software development, systems integration, and implementation services for specific workflows and integration requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

EMA Design Automation is the largest-scale Cadence Channel Partner for the PCB design industry, reselling and supporting Cadence electronic design automation (EDA) software (OrCAD X, Allegro X, PSpice, Sigrity X, AWR, TimingDesigner) and developing complementary proprietary tools (CIP, EDABuilder, OMNYA, CircuitSpace). The company also provides EMA Academy training, technical support, custom software development, systems integration, virtual librarian services, and PCB design services.

Product overview

EMA Design Automation is a Cadence Channel Partner providing a comprehensive portfolio of electronic design automation (EDA) software solutions. The portfolio includes a unified, scalable PCB design platform centered on OrCAD X and Allegro X products, complemented by best-in-class simulation and analysis tools (PSpice, Sigrity X, AWR), library and data management solutions (CIP, EDM, EDABuilder, OMNYA), computational fluid dynamics tools (Celsius EC, Fidelity CFD, Fidelity Pointwise), cable and wire harness design (SOLIDWORKS Electrical, CATIA Electrical), and IC/package design solutions (Advanced Package Designer, Sigrity XtractIM). EMA also offers services including systems integration, custom software development, virtual librarian services, and design services, along with extensive training through EMA Academy. EMA is the largest scale reseller in the PCB industry and serves as the proud producer of the Component Information Portal (CIP), TimingDesigner, CircuitSpace, and EDABuilder products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Component Information Portal (CIP): Managed library for OrCAD and Allegro with built-in supply chain intelligence integration.
• TimingDesigner
• EDABuilder
• CircuitSpace

Products and services

• OrCAD X Complete front-to-back PCB design platform offering the best price and functionality mix for PCB design from schematic through manufacturing, targeted at mainstream PCB designers and engineering teams.
• Allegro X Enterprise PCB design platform for maximum performance and throughput in large-scale PCB design environments, targeting complex multi-layer board design and high-speed serial link challenges.
• Allegro X AI Generative-AI PCB design add-on that assists with component placement, copper pours, and routing for OrCAD X and Allegro X platforms, aimed at dramatically increasing designer productivity.
• OrCAD X OnCloud Cloud-based access solution providing instant access to PCB design and library data management environment from anywhere in the world, enabling remote and distributed PCB design workflows.
• PSpice The gold-standard SPICE circuit design and reliability analysis tool for analog and mixed-signal circuits, used by electrical engineers for circuit simulation and validation.
• Sigrity X Complete electrical analysis platform for signal integrity (SI), power integrity (PI), and EMC design challenges across the board, supporting simulation-driven PCB workflows.
• AWR RF/Microwave design and verification platform for high-frequency electronics design, targeted at RF and microwave engineers developing wireless and high-frequency products.
• TimingDesigner EMA's proprietary graphical static timing analysis and documentation environment for verifying timing constraints in electronic designs.
• Component Information Portal (CIP) EMA's proprietary managed library and supply chain intelligence solution for OrCAD and Allegro, providing real-time component data and built-in supply chain intelligence integration for PCB design teams.
• Engineering Data Management (EDM) Design data management, collaboration, and traceability solution that provides engineering teams with a single source of truth for PCB design data across schematic capture, layout, and release.
• EDABuilder EMA's proprietary multi-CAD library creation and verification tool for automated symbol, footprint, and 3D model creation, accelerating PCB library development.
• OMNYA EMA's proprietary enterprise multi-CAD Product Data Management (PDM) solution for advanced PCB design teams requiring cross-CAD data management, integration, and traceability.
• SOLIDWORKS Electrical Integrated 2D/3D purpose-built cable and wire harness design platform, enabling engineers to design and document electrical systems alongside mechanical assemblies.
• CATIA Electrical 3D CAD solution for enterprise cable and wire harness design needs and workflows, targeting large mechanical/electrical product development organizations.
• Celsius EC Easy-to-use CFD engine optimized for electronics cooling analysis, providing thermal simulation for PCB and electronic system designers.
• Fidelity CFD Next-generation system-level CFD analysis platform built to scale with engineering needs for electronics and system-level thermal simulation.
• Fidelity Pointwise Industry-leading multi-CAD mesh generation software for computational fluid dynamics preprocessing, supporting CFD workflows.
• Advanced Package Designer Leading package and chiplet integration platform for modern 3D-IC and advanced packaging challenges, supporting IC and package co-design.
• Sigrity XtractIM EM model extraction solution built for high-performance package and IC design, enabling electromagnetic model generation from layout for SI/PI analysis.
• PCB Library Bundle Complete bundle including Component Information Portal (CIP) and EDABuilder for automating and accelerating PCB library development and management, offered as a single perpetual license for CIP plus a 1-year time-based license for EDABuilder.
• EMA Services Professional services portfolio including Systems Integration, App & Software Development, Virtual Librarian Service, and Design Services, leveraging 30+ years of EDA expertise to support custom design, integration, library creation, and project augmentation needs.
• EMA Academy Training Instructor-led live training, on-demand courses, walkthroughs, tutorials, and a university/academic program covering PCB design, simulation, and data management; courses range from free tutorials to paid advanced workshops.

Quantifiable outcome

• PCB design re-spins cost $10,000-$50,000 per iteration, with opportunity costs representing 40% of total expense; first-pass success reduces these costs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cadence Design SystemscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEMA is a Cadence Channel Partner focusing on the manufacturing industry. They distribute Cadence software including OrCAD, Allegro, PSpice, Sigrity X, AWR, and related tools. EMA is the largest scale of any reseller in the PCB industry.
• Hawk Ridge SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMA and Hawk Ridge Systems partnered to bring ECAD/MCAD convergence to electronic product design, reshaping the engineering software landscape with full ECAD/MCAD integration capabilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Altium (Renesas Electronics): Altium is a leading PCB design EDA platform serving the same electronics manufacturing and engineering customer base as EMA, with overlapping products for schematic capture, PCB layout, and library management. Acquired by Renesas, Altium is one of EMA's most direct competitors in PCB CAD, especially in the mid-market.
• Zuken: Zuken is a long-established PCB and electrical design EDA vendor competing head-to-head with Cadence OrCAD/Allegro in the same manufacturing-focused design segment EMA serves. Its CR-8000 and CADSTAR products overlap directly with EMA's portfolio, and Zuken's direct sales force is a structural alternative to EMA's reseller model.
• FlowCAD: FlowCAD is a European Cadence Channel Partner offering the same OrCAD/Allegro/PSpice portfolio to manufacturing customers in DACH region; Cadence's 2025 announcement explicitly welcomed both EMA and FlowCAD into the parent company. FlowCAD is the closest direct peer to EMA by business model.
• Downstream Technologies: Downstream Technologies builds PCB post-processing and CAM tools (CAM350, DFMStream) used by the same electronics manufacturing customers as EMA. Its tools complement or substitute parts of EMA's PCB-to-manufacturing workflow, making it a close adjacent competitor in the PCB release process.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens EDA (formerly Mentor Graphics): Siemens EDA is a top-three global EDA vendor whose PADS, Xpedition, and Hyperlynx tools compete directly with EMA's OrCAD X, Allegro X, and Sigrity X portfolio across PCB design, SI/PI analysis, and library management. As a much larger incumbent with direct enterprise sales, Siemens EDA represents the most serious competitive threat to EMA's installed base.
• Cadence Design Systems: Cadence is both EMA's primary technology partner and now its parent company, providing the OrCAD, Allegro, PSpice, Sigrity, and AWR products EMA distributes. As the dominant EDA incumbent, Cadence defines the roadmap EMA sells against, and its strategic priorities directly shape EMA's growth ceiling.
• Dassault Systèmes (SOLIDWORKS / CATIA Electrical): Dassault's SOLIDWORKS Electrical and CATIA Electrical products, which EMA actively resells, compete in the ECAD/MCAD convergence and cable/wire harness space. Dassault is both a partner (via EMA's reselling relationship) and a competitor at the enterprise PLM/CAD layer.
• Synopsys: Synopsys is one of the top-three global EDA vendors, primarily focused on IC design but increasingly active in multi-physics and system-level analysis adjacent to EMA's Sigrity/Tempest/Celsius offerings. Synopsys sets the competitive baseline for EDA pricing, tooling depth, and direct enterprise relationships.

Emerging players

• Intercept Technology: Intercept Technology provides Pantheon PCB design tools targeting small and mid-sized electronics manufacturers with a lower-cost, modern alternative to OrCAD/Allegro. While smaller than Altium or Zuken, Intercept represents the kind of focused emerging entrant that pressures EMA's pricing at the SMB tier.
• Aldec (Eremex): Aldec (with its Eremex PCB design tools and Active-HDL simulation) targets the same schematic, simulation, and PCB layout customers EMA serves via OrCAD/PSpice. As a smaller, focused EDA vendor, Aldec competes on price and ease-of-use in the entry-tier and education market adjacent to EMA's footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EMADesignAutomation
• Facebookfacebook.com/231287303555378
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ema-design-automation
• Xx.com/ema_eda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about EMA Design Automation