Abstract Inc, the troubled formal verification software house, is set to close, along with its UK parent, Abstract Design Automation Ltd. The firm lost its chairman and founder, Gerry Musgrave last month, following an argument with Mek Rahmani, the company’s chief executive officer. Rahmani wanted to shift the company to address the mainstream market, rather than remaining in its niche high-end (CI No 3,474). But he has now admitted to EE Times that Abstract had not gained enough customers to survive. There are only three real customers, all in Europe. One of those is Siemens AG, from where Abstract’s technology was originally derived. The company was working on model checking and futuristic theorum. Intel Corp looked as if it might have been the company’s savior: it invested an undisclosed amount above $5m in the company back in February (CI No 3,345) and was said to be working with Abstract on formal design verification technology. Synposys Inc, Cadence Design Systems Inc and Mentor Graphics Corp have all been moving into the verification market, although Abstract’s most direct competitor is Chrysalis Symbolic Design Inc of North Billerica, Massachusetts, the current market leader.
Content from our partners
