Virtutech

Virtutech was a computer-software company established in 1998 as a spin-off from the Swedish Institute of Computer Science (SICS). Its central product was Simics, a system-level computer architecture simulator designed to let software teams develop, test, debug, and validate programs before the target hardware was available or while access to physical hardware was limited. The company’s technology was particularly relevant to embedded systems, where software often runs on complex combinations of processors, peripherals, network interfaces, storage devices, and specialized hardware. Simics allowed developers to construct software models of complete computer systems and execute embedded software on those virtual models from an ordinary workstation. Developers could run repeatable test scenarios, inspect the behavior of software, and move execution forward or backward to investigate faults. This approach was intended to shorten development cycles and reduce dependence on physical prototypes, laboratory hardware, and difficult-to-reproduce field conditions. The technology supported work on systems ranging from servers and network equipment to automobiles and aerospace or military platforms. Virtutech developed relationships across both embedded computing and general-purpose server markets. In 2001, it began collaborative simulation work with AMD in connection with the company’s Hammer processor family. IBM selected Simics in 2005 for development work associated with its POWER6 platform. In 2007, Virtutech and Freescale announced a collaboration concerning multicore processors. Virtutech was also a member of Power.org, an industry organization focused on the Power processor ecosystem. These relationships reflected the company’s effort to make system simulation useful not only for traditional embedded-software teams but also for processor, server, and platform development. The company accepted investment in 2004 and moved its headquarters to San Jose, California, while retaining important technical activity in Sweden. The Stockholm site remained the center of Simics core research and development. This transatlantic structure gave Virtutech access to the United States technology market while preserving continuity with the Swedish research environment from which the company had originated. Intel announced on February 5, 2010, that it had acquired Virtutech. The reported purchase price was $45 million. Following the acquisition, Simics was maintained through Intel’s Wind River subsidiary. Virtutech therefore ceased to operate as an independent company, and its principal technology continued under successor corporate ownership rather than as a standalone Virtutech brand. In 2018, Intel sold Wind River to TPG Capital. Wind River continued to sell Simics under the Wind River name. The historical Virtutech identity is consequently associated with the creation and early commercialization of Simics, while current product ownership and commercialization belong to the successor Wind River organization. Virtutech’s principal contribution was to establish system-level simulation as a practical development and debugging method for complex embedded and computer platforms.

Virtutech was founded in 1998 as a commercial spin-off from the Swedish Institute of Computer Science, known as SICS. The company was created to develop and commercialize Simics, a system-level computer architecture simulator. At a time when embedded software was increasingly dependent on complex processors and peripheral systems, Virtutech’s approach was to reproduce an entire computer system in software so that developers could work on a virtual target using an ordinary workstation. Simics was intended to address a central problem in embedded development: software often had to be written and debugged against scarce, expensive, or unfinished hardware. By modeling processors, memory, peripherals, and other system components, the simulator allowed development teams to execute software in a controlled environment. It also supported repeatable testing and detailed debugging, including the ability to inspect execution and move through program behavior in both forward and reverse directions. These capabilities were designed to make failures easier to reproduce and reduce the time required to bring complex systems into operation. Virtutech’s early business and technology development connected it with major processor and platform companies. In 2001, AMD and Virtutech began collaborative work involving simulation for AMD’s Hammer chips. In July 2005, IBM selected Simics for development of its POWER6 platform. In 2007, Virtutech and Freescale announced a collaboration program concerning multicore processors. The company also participated in Power.org. These activities indicate that Virtutech served customers in both the embedded-software sector and the broader server and processor ecosystem. In 2004, Virtutech accepted investment and moved its headquarters to San Jose, California. The move placed the company closer to the United States software and semiconductor industries, while the Stockholm operation continued to serve as the center of core Simics research and development. The company’s geographical structure therefore retained a Swedish engineering base while establishing a stronger commercial presence in Silicon Valley. Intel announced on February 5, 2010, that it had acquired Virtutech. The reported value of the transaction was $45 million. After the acquisition, Simics was placed under Intel’s Wind River subsidiary. Virtutech no longer operated as an independent company, but its principal technology continued to be developed and sold through Intel’s organization. Intel sold Wind River to TPG Capital in 2018. Following that ownership change, Simics continued to be offered under the Wind River brand. As a result, Virtutech’s historical role is that of the original company behind Simics, while the product’s later commercial identity belongs to Wind River. The company is significant in the history of embedded-software tooling because it helped popularize virtual system models as a way to develop and test software for complex hardware platforms before physical systems were fully available.

1. 2018Wind River changes ownership

   Intel sold Wind River to TPG Capital, after which Simics continued under the Wind River brand.

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2. 2010Intel acquires Virtutech

   Intel acquired Virtutech, with Simics subsequently maintained through Intel subsidiary Wind River.

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3. 2007Freescale multicore collaboration

   Virtutech and Freescale announced a collaboration program focused on multicore processors.

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4. 2005IBM adopts Simics for POWER6 development

   IBM selected Virtutech Simics for development work associated with the POWER6 platform.

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5. 2004Investment and headquarters move to San Jose

   After accepting investment, Virtutech moved its headquarters to San Jose, California, while maintaining core Simics research and development in Stockholm.

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6. 2001AMD simulation collaboration

   Virtutech began collaborative simulation work with AMD related to the Hammer processor family.

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7. 1998Virtutech is founded as a SICS spin-off

   Virtutech was established to commercially develop Simics, a system-level computer architecture simulator originating from research at the Swedish Institute of Computer Science.

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Virtutech positioned Simics as a virtual hardware and system-level development environment that enabled software teams to build, test, debug, and validate embedded software before or without relying exclusively on physical target hardware.

• SimicsSystem-level computer architecture simulator

  Simics is a software-based simulation environment for modeling complete computer systems and executing embedded software on those virtual systems. It is designed for development, testing, debugging, and validation across platforms such as servers, network equipment, automobiles, and aerospace or military systems. Its capabilities include repeatable test execution and detailed inspection of program behavior, including forward and reverse traversal of execution. Simics was Virtutech’s principal product and later continued under Intel’s Wind River subsidiary and then the Wind River brand.

• 2018Wind River sale to TPG CapitalM&A

  Intel sold its Wind River subsidiary as part of a change in ownership for the embedded-software business.

  What changed. Wind River was sold to TPG Capital, with Simics remaining in the Wind River portfolio.

  Aftermath. Simics continued to be sold under the Wind River brand rather than returning to independent Virtutech ownership.

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• 2010Intel acquisition of VirtutechM&A

  Intel sought to acquire Virtutech’s system-simulation technology and integrate Simics with its Wind River embedded-software business.

  What changed. Intel acquired Virtutech and transferred ongoing Simics maintenance to Wind River.

  Aftermath. Virtutech ceased to operate independently, while Simics continued as part of the Wind River product portfolio.

  Reported acquisition price. $45 million (2010)

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• 2004Move headquarters to San JoseStrategy

  Virtutech accepted investment and sought a stronger commercial presence in the United States technology market.

  What changed. The company moved its headquarters to San Jose, California, while retaining Stockholm as the center of Simics core research and development.

  Aftermath. Virtutech operated with a transatlantic structure combining a Silicon Valley headquarters with Swedish engineering continuity.

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• 2018Wind River is sold to TPG Capital

  Intel sold Wind River to TPG Capital. Simics continued to be commercialized under the Wind River brand after the transaction.

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• 2010Intel announces acquisition of Virtutech

  Intel announced that it had acquired Virtutech and that Simics would be maintained through its Wind River subsidiary. The reported acquisition price was $45 million.

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• 2007Virtutech and Freescale announce multicore-processor collaboration

  Virtutech and Freescale announced a collaboration program focused on multicore processors and related software-development challenges.

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• 2005IBM selects Virtutech Simics for POWER6 development

  IBM selected Simics for development work related to its POWER6 platform, demonstrating the simulator's use beyond conventional embedded-software projects.

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• 2001Virtutech collaborates with AMD on Hammer processor simulation

  Virtutech and AMD began collaborative work involving simulation for AMD's Hammer processor family, extending Simics into processor and platform development.

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1. Virtutech