Основатель чип-компании из Саскатуна переедет в офис Synopsys и возглавит направление искусственного интеллекта

Nykole King Saskatoon StarPhoenix When Amit Gupta started a chip design software company in 2005, he didn’t relocate to tech hubs in Toronto or in the Silicon Valley. He stayed in Saskatoon. Two decades later, Gupta’s decision to stay put has panned out. He didn’t have to move to a major centre to get exposure to large tech companies with deep pockets. They came to him. “Being able to now have two companies and start two companies here in Saskatoon that are making such a global impact, it’s exciting,” he said. “By my nature, I’m a builder. I’m an entrepreneur.” Saskatoon is an unlikely arena for the global AI race, but Gupta has been at the centre of it. He’s leaving Siemens AG — a German tech and automation multinational that bought his startup — to join its top rival, California’s Synopsys Inc. The semiconductor industry is set to hit $1 trillion this year, with growth four years ahead of what market-watchers had previously expected. This rapid expansion has sent companies like Synopsys, San Jose-headquartered Cadence Design Systems Inc. and Siemens into a battle over the best tech and talent. Gupta is now part of that story. In 2005, he founded the software startup Solido Design Automation Inc., which used AI to help design tiny chips in electronics — a lucrative enterprise at a time when the first generations of iPhones were in development. The Saskatoon company later attracted the attention of German multinational Siemens, which acquired it in 2017 for an undisclosed amount. One of Gupta’s conditions for that deal was that the buyer had to retain the Saskatoon office. At Siemens, Gupta’s team created AI-powered software that can design tiny, complex computer chips faster and better than humans. In July, the German owner publicly promised to expand the local workforce by a quarter to 400 people to capitalize on an AI boom over its two dominant rivals, Synopsys and Cadence. At the time, it was surprising to some observers that this European giant would train its massive arsenal of capital on Saskatoon, a city not universally known for its tech companies. Less than two months after the announcement, Gupta announced he was leaving for Siemens’ top rival, California’s Synopsys. Siemens said its Saskatoon office “remains a critical pillar” for the company and it still plans to move forward with the expansion. Kris Breen, who worked for both of Gupta’s two startups, was named to lead the Siemens office. “A strong leadership team is in place, supported by Siemens’ global resources, ensuring business continuity for our projects and initiatives, continued support for our customers, and the ongoing advancement of solutions developed in Canada for global markets,” a Siemens spokesperson said. This kind of poaching of tech talent is common in Silicon Valley. Meta and other giants have been spending millions to get the best minds on their teams for the rollout of AI agents. But a tech talent war in Saskatoon? It seemed unlikely — maybe impossible — until Aug. 25 when news emerged that Gupta was bringing the biggest computer chip designer from Silicon Valley to the Prairies. Along with two early-stage employees, Jeff Dyck and Ryan Silk, he is planning to open up a Synopsys office in Saskatoon. “It wasn’t something that I was planning to do at all,” says Gupta about the switch. But he wanted to be involved as Synopsys transforms its portfolio to incorporate AI into its design software for semiconductors and electronic systems in airplanes, cars and phones. “Synopsys gives us this big playing field to make such a big impact,” says Gupta. Gupta joins the company as senior vice-president of AI excellence — which is his actual new title. Dyck and Silk will join the same department with a focus on research and development. It’s not clear yet how much Synopsys will expand its Saskatoon footprint beyond having this small staff of three. But Gupta says he doesn’t anticipate a war for talent between his new employer and the rival that bought his startup. He figures there’s more than enough fresh graduates from engineering, physics and math. “There’s plenty of room for multiple large companies to be successful here in Saskatoon.” The city in the middle of the Canadian Prairies now has two AI-powered design software companies — both of them the result of Gupta’s nearly three decades of entrepreneurship. Straight out of university, he built his first chip company, Analog Design Automation, catching the attention of Synopsys, which bought it from him in 2004. “AI is fundamentally reshaping how technology is conceived, designed, delivered and used,” says Gupta.