Empyrean Technology
Corporate brand
UnclaimedEmpyrean Technology is a Chinese electronic design automation company developing software for integrated-circuit and semiconductor-system design.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Empyrean Technology, also known by its Chinese name Huada Jiutian, is a Beijing-based Chinese electronic design automation (EDA) company. It develops software used by semiconductor engineers to design, simulate, verify, and analyze integrated circuits and related electronic systems. The company was founded in 2009 by Liu Weiping, an engineer associated with Panda, an earlier Chinese domestic EDA project. Its creation was supported by several state-linked investors, including China Electronics Corporation, the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, and Shenzhen Capital Group. Empyrean emerged in an industry historically dominated by international suppliers such as Synopsys, Cadence Design Systems, and Siemens EDA. Its formation was part of China's broader effort to build domestic capabilities across the semiconductor value chain and reduce reliance on foreign design software. The company has focused particularly on analog and mixed-signal design, although it has also invested in digital design, verification, and other tools intended to support a wider portion of the chip-development workflow. The company became publicly listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through an initial public offering in July 2022. Funds raised in the offering were earmarked for EDA research and development, including projects involving analog and digital integrated-circuit design and verification. The listing gave Empyrean access to additional capital at a time when domestic semiconductor software had become a strategic priority in China. Empyrean remains smaller than the leading global EDA vendors and does not yet cover every stage of the digital chip-design process or all advanced manufacturing nodes. Nevertheless, it has been described as China's largest domestic EDA provider. Reference material reported that it held approximately 6 percent of China's EDA market in April 2024, making it the country's fourth-largest EDA player overall. The company has stated that parts of its analog tool portfolio can support designs associated with a 5-nanometer process, while its digital tools can fully support 7-nanometer design work; these statements concern particular tool capabilities rather than complete end-to-end production support. Empyrean gained additional attention in 2023 after Huawei announced the use of domestic EDA software capable of supporting a 14-nanometer process. Empyrean was widely speculated to have contributed to that development, although the available reference does not establish the precise role of its software. In December 2024, the United States Department of Commerce added Empyrean to the Entity List as part of a new round of export controls. The company said the likely impact was generally controllable. Around the same period, Empyrean ceded control to China Electronics Corporation, reinforcing its connection with China's state-backed electronics industry. In March 2025, Empyrean announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Shanghai-based Xpeedic Technology, which supplies EDA and system-in-package design solutions. The proposed transaction would broaden Empyrean's capabilities in high-frequency, package, and system-level design areas. In June 2025, the company said it intended to capitalize on restrictions limiting the ability of foreign EDA suppliers to sell products into China. Its strategic position therefore combines commercial software development with national industrial-policy objectives, while its long-term competitiveness depends on expanding tool coverage, supporting more advanced processes, and reducing remaining gaps with the major international EDA suites.
History
Empyrean Technology was established in 2009 by Liu Weiping, who had worked on Panda, an early Chinese domestic EDA tool. The company was created with backing from state-linked organizations including China Electronics Corporation, the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, and Shenzhen Capital Group. Its establishment reflected China's attempt to develop a domestic EDA industry in a market then dominated by Synopsys, Cadence Design Systems, and Siemens EDA. The company's core business has been the development of EDA software for integrated-circuit design. Its portfolio has included analog and mixed-signal tools as well as digital design and verification products. Empyrean's domestic role grew as Chinese semiconductor companies faced increasing restrictions on access to advanced foreign technologies. At the same time, analysts identified limitations in its ability to support the complete digital chip-design process, advanced manufacturing nodes, and the manufacture and testing of EDA systems. In July 2022, Empyrean completed an initial public offering on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The capital raised was intended to support multiple EDA research and development programs, including analog and digital design and verification tools. The listing strengthened the company's ability to finance product development while giving public-market visibility to one of China's principal domestic EDA suppliers. Empyrean became more prominent in 2023 when Huawei announced that it had used domestic EDA software capable of supporting a 14-nanometer process. Empyrean was widely associated with the reported achievement, although the available reference does not specify the exact software contribution. During the same year, Empyrean said that portions of its analog tool portfolio could partially support 5-nanometer processes and that its digital tools could fully support 7-nanometer design work. By April 2024, reference material described Empyrean as China's largest domestic EDA company, with about 6 percent of the national market and the fourth-largest overall position. Its business remained strategically important but technologically incomplete relative to the broad, mature suites offered by the leading international vendors. In December 2024, the United States Department of Commerce added Empyrean to the Entity List. The designation formed part of broader export controls affecting Chinese semiconductor and technology companies. Empyrean stated that the consequences were generally controllable. The company subsequently ceded control to China Electronics Corporation, deepening its state-backed ownership and governance relationship. In March 2025, Empyrean announced a planned acquisition of a majority stake in Xpeedic Technology, a Shanghai company specializing in EDA and system-in-package design solutions. The proposed transaction represented an effort to expand beyond the company's established strengths and add complementary system-level capabilities. By June 2025, Empyrean said it intended to use the market opportunity created by restrictions on foreign EDA suppliers selling into China. Its development consequently remained tied to both product expansion and the geopolitical reconfiguration of the semiconductor-software industry.
- 2025
Planned expansion through Xpeedic Technology
[1]Empyrean announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Xpeedic Technology, expanding into complementary EDA and system-in-package design capabilities.
- 2024
United States Entity List designation
[1]Empyrean was added to the United States Department of Commerce Entity List and later ceded control to China Electronics Corporation.
- 2023
Domestic process-support claims gain attention
[1]Following Huawei's announcement concerning domestic EDA software for a 14-nanometer process, Empyrean reported capabilities involving 5-nanometer analog and 7-nanometer digital design work.
- 2022
Initial public offering
[1]Empyrean became listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and allocated offering proceeds to EDA research and development projects.
- 2009
Empyrean Technology is founded
[1]Liu Weiping founded the company after working on Panda, an early Chinese domestic EDA tool. State-linked organizations helped fund its establishment.
Products and positioning
A major domestic Chinese EDA provider positioned as an alternative to foreign semiconductor-design software vendors and as part of China's drive for greater semiconductor self-sufficiency.
EDA software
Analog and mixed-signal EDA tools
Software for designing and analyzing analog, mixed-signal, and related integrated circuits. Empyrean has identified this area as one of its principal technical strengths and has stated that parts of its analog portfolio can partially support designs associated with advanced 5-nanometer processes.
EDA software
Digital design and verification tools
Tools intended to support digital integrated-circuit design and verification. Empyrean has said that its digital products can fully support 7-nanometer design work, while reference material notes that the company does not yet cover the entire digital design workflow at the level of the leading global EDA suites.
EDA software · 2025
System-in-package design solutions
System-in-package and related system-level design capabilities associated with Xpeedic Technology. Empyrean announced a plan to acquire a majority stake in Xpeedic in 2025, but the available reference does not confirm completion of the transaction.
Brand decisions
2025
Plan majority acquisition of Xpeedic TechnologyM&ABackground
Empyrean sought to broaden its EDA portfolio and strengthen system-level and package-design capabilities.
Action taken
The company announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Shanghai-based Xpeedic Technology.
Aftermath
The available reference does not confirm whether the transaction was completed.
2025
Pursue opportunities created by foreign EDA restrictionsStrategyBackground
Export controls restricted some foreign EDA suppliers from selling products to customers in China.
Action taken
Empyrean stated that it planned to capitalize on the resulting market opportunity for domestic EDA software.
Aftermath
The strategy increased the company's strategic relevance in China, while leaving it responsible for closing technology and product-coverage gaps with international competitors.
2024
Transfer control to China Electronics CorporationStrategyBackground
The United States added Empyrean to the Entity List during a new round of semiconductor-related export controls.
Action taken
Empyrean ceded control of the company to China Electronics Corporation.
Aftermath
The change reinforced Empyrean's state-backed position, while the company said the practical impact of the export controls was generally controllable.
2022
Raise public capital for EDA developmentOtherBackground
Empyrean needed additional resources to expand domestic analog, digital, design, and verification capabilities in a market dominated by larger international vendors.
Action taken
The company completed an initial public offering on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and directed proceeds toward several EDA development projects.
Aftermath
The offering increased Empyrean's access to capital and supported its role as a publicly visible domestic EDA supplier.
Recent events
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