Synplicity and Xilinx Announce Strategic Partnership to Provide a World-Class, High-Density Synthesis Solution.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 1998--Synplicity(R), Inc., a leading supplier of logic synthesis software for programmable logic design, and Xilinx(R), Inc., (NASDAQ:XLNX), the world leader in programmable logic solutions, today signed a strategic partnership that will provide their joint customers with a world-class, high-density HDL design solution. The goal of this partnership is to provide Synplicity's and Xilinx's mutual customers with higher quality of results and faster time to market through a closer technical and marketing relationship. The strategic partnership includes a one-year joint marketing agreement, which includes a detailed technology roadmap and strategic marketing events and activities.

"I've been extremely pleased with the great quality of results I've experienced using Synplicity tools to design Xilinx devices," said Steve Weinrich, senior engineer, Xyplex Networks. "The superior speed of the Xilinx devices and Synplify's(R)ability to take full advantage of the Xilinx architecture makes them an excellent combination for high-complexity designs. I look forward to further quality and performance benefits from the two companies working together even more closely."

Under the terms of the agreement, Xilinx will provide Synplicity early access to new IC architecture information and FPGA/CPLD design methodologies. The two companies will jointly define technical activities that will enhance products and customer support, such as the cross-verification of beta software and access to each other's product roadmaps. Ready access to each other's software technology and roadmaps will enable both companies to achieve closer communication and cooperation. As part of the strategic partnership, Xilinx and Synplicity agree to form a closer working relationship in areas not traditionally included in joint marketing agreements, such as customer support, field support and field sales. "An important tenet of the strategic partnership is cross-training for our AEs and FAEs," said Andrew Dauman, director of corporate applications, Synplicity. "Cross-training will enable both companies to provide higher-quality customer support."

"The movement towards HDL-driven programmable logic design has accelerated in the last 12 months, fueled by the delivery of higher density programmable logic devices and powerful and easy-to-use synthesis tools," states Rich Sevcik, senior vice president of software development at Xilinx. "Many of our large, multi-national customers use our Alliance Series(TM) Software in conjunction with leading EDA suppliers such as Synplicity. Our long-standing technology partnership with Synplicity has been a win-win for our mutual customers. Strengthening our already successful partnership will only accelerate the adoption of this migration towards HDL-driven high-density programmable logic."

"Formalizing our partnership with Xilinx is a direct response to customer demand," said Andy Haines, vice president of marketing, Synplicity. "Field sales are getting tremendously positive feedback from engineers who have used the Xilinx/Synplify combination with unprecedented success. Customers want us to work closely together because they know that as device complexity breaks the 1,000,000-gate barrier, our partnership will continue to result in outstanding quality."

Synplicity has long been a member of Xilinx's Syndicate Program, whose goal has been to improve the quality of results for Xilinx's HDL synthesis suppliers since its inception in September 1993. The Xilinx Syndicate Program has since evolved and merged into today's Xilinx Alliance Program -- the industry's first and leading open system software technology program. Today Xilinx and Synplicity further this well-established relationship by signing a strategic partnership agreement.

Improved Xilinx Alliance Series

Offering support for Synplify, Xilinx's latest Alliance Series back-end software includes several improvements and features. Designers can achieve up to 80 percent reduction of compile time using Alliance Series software. Support for the complete line of Xilinx FPGAs and CPLDs, including the recently announced high-density XC4000XV(TM) series and the low-cost Spartan(TM) family, are available. And with new Xilinx Unified Simulation (UNISIM) libraries, designers can simulate RTL behavioral code with gate-level instantiations, gate-level descriptions imported from schematics, and gate-level VHDL and Verilog descriptions exported from synthesis.

Synplify -- The leading synthesis tool for high-density PLD design

Synplicity's Synplify synthesis tool accepts industry-standard Verilog and VHDL descriptions and produces optimized implementations for programmable devices from many leading vendors. Its Finite State Machine (FSM) compiler makes it the first logic synthesis tool to provide fully-automatic recognition and re-encoding of FSMs. The compiler also performs reachability analysis and eliminates unreachable states. Designed to be extremely easy to use, Synplify is also extremely fast. Synplify with HDL Analyst provides a unique RTL-level schematic for analysis and cross probing with the HDL source code. Pricing for Synplify 3.0 node-locked Windows platforms is $12K, and floating licenses for UNIX or Windows are $24K.

About Xilinx

Founded in 1984, Xilinx is the world's largest supplier of programmable logic solutions producing industry-leading device architecture and world class design software. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif, the company pioneered the market for field programmable gate array (FPGA) semiconductor devices that provide high integration and quick time-to-market for electronic equipment manufactures in the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, networking, industrial control, instrumentation, consumer, and high reliability/military markets. For more information on Xilinx, access the World Wide Web site at www.xilinx.com .

About Synplicity

Founded in 1994, Synplicity, Inc. delivers the benefits of logic synthesis to programmable device designers by developing fast, easy, affordable tools with extremely high quality of results, based entirely on the company's own technology. Synplicity products support industry-standard design languages (VHDL and Verilog), run on popular computer platforms (Windows '95, Windows NT and UNIX), and support leading PLD manufacturers. The company is located at 624 E. Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086. Telephone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; Email: [e-mail]; Web: http://www.synplicity.com . -0-

Note To Editors: Synplicity and Synplify are registered trademarks of Synplicity, Inc. Xilinx is a registered trademark of Xilinx, Inc. All XC-prefix product designations, Spartan, and Alliance are trademarks of Xilinx. Other brands or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Synplicity, Inc., Sunnyvale

Andy Haines, 408/617-6030

[e-mail]

or

Xilinx, Inc., San Jose

Ann Duft, 408/879-4726

[e-mail]

or

Tsantes & Associates

Anna Leonard, 503/612-9407

[e-mail]