Semiconductor R&D Consulting
Semiconductor R&D is a long-cycle, high-consequence engineering discipline. Every program operates under foundry schedule constraints, IP delivery dependencies, and cross-functional review requirements that generic project management frameworks were not designed to handle. PMOVA provides embedded technical program management with direct IC design domain knowledge — governing programs from architecture review through tapeout submission and post-silicon validation planning.
Where Semiconductor R&D Programs Stall
The shuttle schedule is not tracked against design milestones. No critical path is managed against the tapeout cutoff. A missed MPW slot means a six-month re-queue and a program that cannot recover.
The design team advances while PDK or IP library versions change without a formal version lock protocol. Late-stage re-simulation and DRC clean-up consume the schedule margin.
Functional bugs discovered on first silicon that simulation should have caught. No formal DFT coverage checklist or pre-tapeout review protocol was enforced before GDS submission.
Digital, analog, layout, and DFT teams operate in silos with no cross-functional review at key milestones. Integration issues surface during the final signoff window — with no time to resolve them.
What We Deliver
Phase-gate management from architecture review through tapeout — milestone definitions, entry/exit criteria, and schedule tracking anchored to the foundry shuttle window.
PDK delivery tracking, shuttle schedule management, DRC/LVS closure milestone governance, and tapeout submission checklist coordination.
In-house vs. licensed IP decision governance, NDA and licensing timeline tracking, third-party IP qualification milestones, and fallback strategy for each critical IP dependency.
Structured architectural review, pre-tapeout checklist management, and post-silicon planning sessions across digital, analog, layout, and DFT disciplines.
Structured handoff from R&D prototype to foundry-qualified design — including process qualification, characterization planning, and production readiness assessment.
Synchronization of NSERC, Mitacs, IRAP, and NRC program deliverables with engineering design milestones — eliminating the gap between technical and compliance reporting.
Semiconductor R&D Governance Principles
Every program milestone is plotted against the foundry shuttle window. Design reviews, IP delivery, and signoff deadlines are anchored to the tapeout cutoff, not to internal planning calendars.
Formal version lock protocol at each design milestone — architecture, netlist freeze, and pre-tapeout. Change control process for any post-lock PDK or IP update.
Structured gate reviews across digital, analog, layout, DFT, and test disciplines before each major milestone. Review packages distributed with minimum 48-hour advance notice.
Test plan, functional debug strategy, and characterization matrix defined and reviewed before GDS submission. First silicon is not a discovery phase — it is an execution phase.
Program Types We Support
- Full-custom ASIC programs — digital, mixed-signal, and analog (TSMC, GF, Samsung, IHP)
- System-on-Chip (SoC) programs with embedded processor and custom accelerators
- Chiplet and multi-die heterogeneous integration programs
- Mixed-signal IC programs (ADC, DAC, PLL, LDO, sensor readout)
- MEMS and photonic integrated circuit programs
- University-industry collaborative IC design programs (Mitacs, NSERC, NRC-IRAP funded)
Related Services and Resources
Running a semiconductor R&D program?
PMOVA provides embedded technical PM for semiconductor R&D programs — with IC design domain knowledge, foundry coordination experience, and a governance framework built for the pace and stakes of silicon development.