Cadence and NVIDIA Blackwell: Revolutionizing AI-Driven Engineering and Science with Up to 80X Acceleration
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Cadence (Nasdaq: CDNS) and NVIDIA are pushing the boundaries of accelerated computing and agentic AI to address critical global technology challenges. By leveraging NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell architecture, Cadence is achieving unprecedented performance gains across its engineering and scientific solutions. This partnership is transforming industries by enabling faster, more efficient simulations and fostering innovation in AI-driven design, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and molecular sciences.
Massive Acceleration Across Cadence Solutions
One of the standout achievements of this collaboration is the massive acceleration of Cadence’s solvers using NVIDIA Blackwell systems. These advancements are empowering designers and engineers to tackle larger, more complex problems that were previously out of reach:
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Simulation times have been reduced by up to 80X, shrinking processes that once took days into mere minutes.
- Spectre X Simulator: Performance has been boosted by up to 10X, enabling faster analog circuit verification for advanced-node designs.
- 3D-IC Design and Analysis: Thermal, stress, and warpage analyses are now up to 7X faster, streamlining multi-physics workflows for next-generation chip designs.
These breakthroughs are not just incremental—they are transformative, allowing industries like aerospace, automotive, and semiconductor design to innovate at an unprecedented pace.
Tackling Grand Challenges in Aerospace with Blackwell
A prime example of this collaboration’s impact is in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Using the Cadence Fidelity CFD Platform powered by NVIDIA GB200 GPUs, Cadence successfully completed multi-billion cell simulations of a complete aircraft within the most challenging phases of flight—takeoff and landing. What previously required an entire top 500 CPU cluster with hundreds of thousands of cores and several days to complete can now be done in under 24 hours.
This advancement is helping the aerospace industry reduce reliance on costly wind tunnel tests, cut expenses, and accelerate time-to-market. By continuing to push the limits of simulation, Cadence and NVIDIA are setting new standards for accuracy and efficiency in aerospace engineering.
Full-Stack Agentic AI Solution for Engineering and Science
Cadence and NVIDIA are also collaborating on a full-stack agentic AI solution designed to revolutionize electronic and system design, as well as scientific applications. This initiative integrates the Cadence JedAI Platform with NVIDIA’s NeMo generative AI framework and the newly announced Llama Nemotron Reasoning Model. Together, these technologies are driving breakthroughs in areas such as:
- Intelligent Conversational AI Assistants: Boosting designer productivity and fostering innovation through AI-powered guidance.
- Deep Reasoning for Verification: Leveraging design collateral and verification agents to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
- Design Generation and Optimization: Automating the creation and refinement of digital and custom circuits using AI-driven design agents.
These innovations are empowering engineers to focus on higher-level tasks while AI handles repetitive or computationally intensive processes, significantly accelerating product development cycles.
Accelerating Drug Discovery with AI and Molecular Sciences
In the field of molecular sciences, Cadence Molecular Sciences (OpenEye) is integrating NVIDIA’s BioNeMo NIM microservices with Orion, Cadence’s cloud-native molecular design platform. This collaboration is unlocking new possibilities in drug discovery by combining cutting-edge AI with GPU-powered cloud computing. Key advancements include:
- AI Models for 3D De Novo Protein Structure Prediction: Enabling scientists to predict protein structures with unprecedented accuracy.
- Small Molecule Generative AI: Accelerating the discovery of novel compounds for therapeutic applications.
- Antibody Property Prediction: Leveraging foundational AI models to optimize antibody design and functionality.
With access to on-demand and reserved GPU resources, Orion is equipping researchers worldwide with the tools to perform complex calculations at scale, revolutionizing the process of therapeutic design.
Digital Twin Technology for Data Center Design
Cadence is also at the forefront of digital twin technology, leveraging NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint to create accurate and efficient models for AI factory digital twins. As one of the first adopters of this technology, Cadence is integrating NVIDIA Omniverse Viewport, the Cadence Allegro X Design Platform, and the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform. These tools provide designers with enhanced visualization capabilities throughout the electronic system design process.
The integration enables downstream users to leverage data for analytics, bill-of-materials (BOM) management, manufacturing interfaces, and system-level quality assurance. By creating consistent and high-quality models, Cadence and NVIDIA are paving the way for equipment manufacturers and data center companies to rapidly develop and deploy digital twins, optimizing operations and reducing costs.
Leadership Vision: Driving Innovation Across Industries
Dr. Anirudh Devgan, President and CEO of Cadence, emphasized the significance of this collaboration:
“Cadence is accelerating AI-driven EDA and system design workloads on NVIDIA’s latest Grace Blackwell NVL72 platform. With these breakthroughs, we’re now able to perform massive simulations of complex systems that weren’t possible before, including some of the largest and most accurate simulations of full aircraft to date.”
Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA, echoed this sentiment:
“Accelerated computing and agentic AI are setting new standards for innovation across industries. Together, NVIDIA and Cadence are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, delivering breakthroughs in simulation, optimization, and design that drive efficiency, reduce time to market, and fuel scientific discovery.”
Why This Collaboration Matters
The partnership between Cadence and NVIDIA is more than just a technological milestone—it’s a catalyst for change across multiple industries. By combining Cadence’s expertise in EDA and system design with NVIDIA’s leadership in accelerated computing and AI, the two companies are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. From accelerating aerospace simulations to revolutionizing drug discovery and enabling smarter data center operations, their collaboration is driving innovation and setting new benchmarks for performance and efficiency.
As industries continue to embrace AI-driven solutions, the work of Cadence and NVIDIA will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of engineering, science, and beyond. With record-breaking acceleration, cutting-edge AI tools, and a shared vision for the future, this partnership is poised to redefine what’s possible in the world of technology.
For more details on this transformative collaboration, visit Cadence’s official website or explore NVIDIA’s latest innovations.
