Virtutech
| Company type | Private (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, Computer simulation |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Fate | Acquired by Intel in 2010; incorporated into Wind River Systems |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California , United States |
| Products | Simics computer architecture simulator software |
| Parent | Intel (since 2010) |
Virtutech originated in 1998 as a spin-off from the Swedish Institute of Computer Science (SICS) with the goal of commercializing the Simics computer architecture simulator software developed there. After obtaining investment, the company moved its main office to San Jose, California in 2004. In 2010, Intel completed the acquisition of Virtutech and incorporated it into its Wind River subsidiary. Despite Wind River being sold to TPG Capital in 2018, the Simics product remains available under the Wind River name, with primary research and development continuing at Intel’s Stockholm location.
Simics provides software engineering teams with the ability to emulate computer hardware platforms, facilitating the creation, testing, and debugging of embedded software for a variety of applications such as advanced servers, networking devices, aerospace and military systems, and automotive electronics. This tool enables engineers to build virtual hardware environments on conventional desktop machines, run test cases, and navigate program execution both forwards and backwards.
History
In 2001, Virtutech formed a collaboration with AMD to simulate AMD’s Hammer processors. By mid-2005, IBM had adopted Virtutech’s Simics to support development on its POWER6 architecture. In 2007, Virtutech worked alongside Freescale to simulate multicore processors. These collaborations demonstrate Virtutech’s diverse clientele across embedded systems as well as general-purpose computing and server sectors.
Virtutech was affiliated with Power.org.
As embedded technologies advanced—particularly with the rise of multiprocessor designs—the complexity of developing and debugging embedded software increased significantly. Virtutech’s approach centered on expediting software development by replicating intricate hardware systems through software simulations on standard workstations, thereby minimizing dependence on physical hardware prototypes and conventional techniques.
On February 5, 2010, Intel acquired Virtutech for $45 million, assigning responsibility for Simics support and development to its subsidiary Wind River Systems.