What RSoft Design Group does

RSoft Design Group, Inc., founded in 2001 and headquartered in Ossining, New York, is a provider of photonics design and simulation software serving designers of photonic integrated circuits and optical communication systems. Its core suite, branded as RSoft Photonic Device Tools and RSoft Photonic Device Compiler, enables component modeling, circuit simulation, and layout design across silicon photonics, InP, SiN, PLC, and polymer platforms. The product portfolio was expanded following the company's acquisition by Synopsys to include Synopsys OptSim (system-level simulation for optical communications and photonic ICs), Synopsys OptoCompiler (a unified electronic and photonics design platform), and the MetaOptic Designer add-on module for metalenses and metasurfaces targeting AR/VR and advanced optics applications.

RSoft monetizes through a B2B enterprise EDA software model with quote-based, negotiated pricing and no publicly disclosed rates, distributed historically through Synopsys' enterprise sales force and foundry/design-house partner channels. Named customers and partners include TowerJazz (co-development of the PH18 open-foundry silicon photonics process) and VLC Photonics (a photonic design house using RSoft tools for end-customer projects). The product line addresses use cases in optical communication transceivers, LiDAR, chemical and biophotonic sensing, AR/VR optics, and quantum photonics.

The company was acquired by Synopsys and subsequently transferred to Keysight as part of Synopsys' Optical Solutions Group divestiture, leaving RSoft positioned within Keysight's optical solutions software portfolio. Robert Scarmozzino is identified as CEO. The source data does not disclose standalone revenue, headcount, pricing, or independent operating metrics for RSoft as a current entity, and the firmographic headcount of 5,001–10,000 is inconsistent with the product footprint described and likely reflects a parent-company level figure.

Name

RSoft Design Group

Legal name

RSoft Design Group

Website

https://rsoftdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

RSoft Design Group provides photonics design and simulation software—including RSoft Photonic Device Tools, OptSim, and OptoCompiler—for photonic IC designers, optical communication system developers, and foundry partners across silicon photonics, InP, SiN, PLC, and polymer platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonic Design and Simulation Software

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Services & ASIC/SoC Implementation (EDA-Adjacent) (HDAHAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

EDA Cloud/SaaS, Design Data Management & Collaboration (HDAHAFAJ), Custom & Application-Specific ASIC Design Services (HDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Photonics design software
• Photonic device simulation
• Silicon photonics EDA
• Photonic IC design
• Optical communication simulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ossining

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RSoft Design Group develops and licenses photonics design and simulation software used to model passive and active photonic components, photonic integrated circuits, and optical communication systems. Its flagship offerings — RSoft Photonic Device Tools, RSoft Photonic Device Compiler, Synopsys OptSim, and Synopsys OptoCompiler — provide a unified design flow across silicon photonics, InP, SiN, PLC, and polymer platforms for photonic IC designers and optical communications engineers.

Product overview

RSoft Design Group (now part of Synopsys' Optical Solutions Group, acquired by Keysight) offers a comprehensive photonic design automation portfolio. The product suite includes RSoft Photonic Device Tools and RSoft Photonic Device Compiler for photonic device design, Synopsys OptSim for photonic system and optical communication simulation, and Synopsys OptoCompiler as a unified electronic-photonics design platform for photonic ICs. The portfolio supports multiple technology platforms including silicon photonics, InP, SiN, PLC, and polymers, serving optical communications, sensing, imaging, AR/VR, quantum computing, and biophotonic applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RSoft Photonic Device Tools Comprehensive photonic device design and simulation tools for modeling passive and active photonic components, ring resonators, modulators, and optical filters, used by photonic IC designers and optical communications engineers.
• RSoft Photonic Device Compiler Photonic device compiler for designing and laying out photonic integrated circuits and components, supporting multiple material platforms.
• Synopsys OptSim Comprehensive simulation tool for photonic ICs and optical communication systems, supporting coherent and non-coherent fiber optic transceivers, multipath interference analysis, and photonic system modeling.
• Synopsys OptoCompiler Industry's first unified electronic and photonics design platform for photonic IC design, providing a seamless design flow from concept to manufacturing for photonic devices and integrated circuits.

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TowerJazzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTowerJazz partnered with Synopsys for the development of PH18 - the world's first open foundry Silicon photonics process. Synopsys provided expertise in silicon photonics design automation and design, helping create a differentiated design environment successfully used by mutual customers.
• VLC PhotonicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVLC Photonics, a design house, uses Synopsys photonic design tools including RSoft products for modeling and design, circuit simulation and layout to support developments for their customers. The partnership enables fast, cohesive and efficient photonic design workflows.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ansys Lumerical: Lumerical's FDTD, MODE, and INTERCONNECT tools are the most direct substitute for RSoft Photonic Device Tools and OptSim in photonic component and circuit simulation, sharing the same designer and foundry customers.
• VPIphotonics: VPIphotonics provides photonic and optical communication system simulation, overlapping with OptSim for transceiver and optical link design targeting the same telecom and datacom customers.
• Synopsys OptoCompiler / Photonic Solutions: Closest peer: RSoft is bundled under Synopsys' (now Keysight's) Photonic Solutions portfolio alongside OptoCompiler and OptSim, sharing the same photonics IC design flow and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens EDA (formerly Mentor): Siemens EDA provides mainstream IC design tools and is investing in photonic and electro-optical co-simulation, making it a broad incumbent competitor to RSoft's PIC design flow.
• Cadence Spectre / Virtuoso Photonics: Cadence is a mainstream EDA incumbent extending into photonic and mixed-signal photonic simulation with its Spectre and Virtuoso platforms, competing for the same photonic IC designer seat.

Others

• Phoenix Software (RSoft pre-acquisition era): Phoenix Software was the EDA-adjacent optical design tool suite that historically competed with RSoft for thin-film and stray-light optical simulation; relevant for legacy designer overlap post-Keysight consolidation.
• Tower Semiconductor PDK ecosystem: Tower Semiconductor's PH18 silicon photonics PDK ecosystem, co-developed with Synopsys/RSoft, is an ecosystem peer shaping which photonic EDA tools win foundry adoption.

Emerging players

• Luceda Photonics: Luceda offers a photonic IC design platform with PDK-based tooling built on IPKISS, competing for the same PIC designer workflow that RSoft Photonic Device Compiler and OptoCompiler serve.
• COMSOL Multiphysics: COMSOL's wave optics and multiphysics modules are used by photonic designers for component-level simulation, partially overlapping RSoft's device-level use cases especially in academic and R&D settings.

Regional players

• GlobalFoundries Silicon Photonics PDK partners: GlobalFoundries' silicon photonics platform competes with TowerJazz's PH18 and uses competing EDA toolchains; relevant as a regional foundry shaping photonic EDA purchasing decisions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 RSoft Design Group