Synopsys Secures EU Approval for $35 Billion Ansys Acquisition

Synopsys has received conditional approval from the European Commission (EC) for its planned $35 billion acquisition of simulation software firm Ansys, per Wall Street Journal. The EC’s endorsement comes after both companies agreed to divest specific business units to address competition concerns in key technology markets, including optics, photonics, and power consumption analysis tools.

First announced in January 2024, the merger aims to bring together Synopsys’ expertise in semiconductor design with Ansys’ cutting-edge simulation software. The combined entity is expected to offer more sophisticated solutions for creating complex chips and computing systems. However, despite gaining the EC’s green light, the deal is still subject to regulatory approval in the U.K. and the U.S., particularly from the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Synopsys is targeting mid-2025 to complete the acquisition, pending final clearances and the completion of agreed divestitures.

Related: UK Provisionally Accepts Remedies in Synopsys-Ansys $35B Merger

To meet the EC’s conditions, Synopsys has committed to selling its Optical Solutions Group to Keysight Technologies, a leading provider of electronic testing equipment and software, according to Wall Street Journal. This business unit focuses on optical design tools that are critical for various technology applications, including augmented reality and autonomous vehicles.

Meanwhile, Ansys has agreed to sell its PowerArtist tool, a software solution focused on power-efficient chip design, to Keysight Technologies as well. These divestitures are key to addressing the EC’s concerns about maintaining healthy competition in markets critical to the tech industry.

Source: The Wall Street Journal