Shanghai Lixin closes Series C of over ¥300M to push China's domestic EDA stack
What's the deal? Shanghai Licore Software Technology has closed a Series C round of over ¥300M (roughly $41M). The funding was co-led by Tongchuang Weiye, Haiwang CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (under Pudong Sci-Tech), Shenzhen Capital Group, China Internet Investment FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Fujian Electronics, with follow-on participation from China's Social Security Fund, Fujian Venture Capital, and Skyworth Capital.
The company plans to use the funds to develop its full-flow digital implementation toolchain and 3DIC/chiplet system-level design solutions, as well as market expansion.
Why now? China is racing to build a domestic semiconductor supply chain as US export restrictions continue to tighten. Electronic design automation (EDA) tools — the software used to design chips — remain one of the most critical chokepoints, dominated by three US-headquartered companies: SynopsysDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, CadenceDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Siemens EDA.
Beijing has made EDA localisation a national priority, channelling state-backed capital into homegrown alternatives. The investor mix here — spanning state funds, government-linked VCs, and strategic corporate backers — reflects that urgency.
What could go wrong? EDA is one of the hardest segments of the chip industry to crack. Incumbents have spent decades refining tools that underpin virtually every advanced chip design workflow. A domestic challenger must not only match feature parity but also win the trust of foundries and design houses accustomed to proven toolchains.
Licore's focus on 3DIC and chiplet design is ambitious — these are cutting-edge packaging architectures where even the global leaders are still iterating.
The signal: This round underscores China's deepening investment in semiconductor self-sufficiency beyond chip manufacturing. EDA, long overlooked in favour of fabs and equipment, is now attracting serious capital. The involvement of China's Social Security Fund — a conservative, state-run investor — signals that Beijing views domestic EDA not as a speculative bet but as strategic infrastructure.
Read more: jiemian.com
