Silicon & Software Systems (S3)

Infobox_Company
company_name = Silicon & Software Systems Ltd
company_type = Private
foundation = 1986
location_city = Dublin
location_country = Ireland
key_people = John O'Brien, CEO
num_employees = 300+ | industry = Computer hardware, software
products = systems, embedded software and silicon design
homepage = [http://www.s3group.com www.s3group.com]

Silicon & Software Systems (S3) is a multinational Connected Consumer Technology company. S3’s technologies, software products, system integration and consultancy services enable operators, device manufacturers, healthcare providers and semiconductor companies to deliver solutions to consumers, at home and on the move.

Founded in 1986 S3 has a 22 years history in systems, embedded software and silicon design for consumer, wireless, WiMAX and related applications. The company has over 300 employees serving an expanding client base which includes: Fujitsu, Motorola, [ Article on Motorola partnership http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detailpf.jsp?globalObjectId=2086_1685_23] , NXP, Philips, Cisco, Texas Instruments, DirecTV, OpenTV [Interactive TV Today Article http://www.itvt.com/wvwuaitvtissue6.96pt2.html#technology.13 and http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications-network-software/8390605-1.html] amongst others.

Overview

Silicon and Software Systems (S3) is a technology company that provides software, and professional services to operators, OEM's, semiconductors and healthcare providers.

S3 is involved in areas such as
* End-to-end pay TV broadcasting systems(satellite, cable, terrestrial and IPTV)
* Work on High Definition (HD) and Personal Video Recorder (PVR/DVR)- enabled products
* Wireless and broadcasting systems including Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMAX, T-DMB, DVB-H and Zigbee
* Designs for Set-Top Boxes and mobile handsets for System-on-Chip applications
* Design and product development for companies building consumer electronics, healthcare, etc.

S3 participates in trade associations and standard-setting bodies including the DVB, FSA, IEEE, MDTV Alliance, OMA, VSIA and others.

S3's European head office is in Dublin, Ireland with its North American headquarters in San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley. S3 has design centers in Dublin and Cork, Ireland, Wroclaw in Poland, Prague in the Czech Republic and Lisbon in Portugal. In December 2005 there was a management buy-out (MBO) and the company was re-structured under new ownership by the management team, ACT Venture Capital who invested $13 million of venture capital and Philips Electronics, who were the former owners, maintained a small shareholding in the company. S3 has over 300 employees serving a global client base.

Product & Services

Consumer Silicon

Silicon & Software Systems (S3) has comprehensive SoC design capability supporting semiconductor and system clients to deliver complex IC products. S3 has over 35 designs delivered at 90nm and 65nm to date. S3 focuses on complex, power efficient Mixed Signal SoCs, using IP methodologies and design and verification techniques. S3 provides critical mass and flexible teams for large SoC design projects.

Consumer Healthcare

S3 provides Design and Consultancy services focused on the specific elements in the end-to-end architecture, design, development and production of e-Health systems.

TV Technology

S3 provides services, products and IP to the Digital TV industry. S3 has over 14 years experience working with global operators, Set-Top Box (STB) manufacturers, middleware vendors, conditional access vendors and semiconductor companies. S3 is recognized for providing complete solutions using its skilled engineering and project management resources specializing in System Integration Services, Consultancy Services, Equipment Upgrade and Maintenance and Product IP

Consumer Mobile

S3 is also a provider of broadcast mobile DTV solutions. Its onHandTV client software products manage the reception of TV and data services over broadcast, multicast and unicast bearers, delivered to multiple mobile devices. onHandTV has proven interoperability with existing commercial networks and key technology suppliers in the mobile DTV ecosystem.

Customers

Their direct consumers include DirecTV, Samsung, Motorola, BSkyB, NXP, Philips, Cisco, Texas Instruments, Fujitsu, and Phonak. [ Dr Herbert BächlerChief Technology OfficerPhonak Hearing Systems - http://www.s3group.com/about-us/client-testimonials/] .

Global Presence

S3 is a large multi-national organization with 300+ engineers based at the company’s engineering design centers in Ireland, the Czech Republic, Poland and Portugal. S3 has sales and marketing offices worldwide.

Related News

* [http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2007/11/05/daily5.html S3 Open Silicon Valley Design centre]
* [http://www.enn.ie/article/143641.html Silicon and Software Systems (S3) has acquired Acacia Semiconductor]
* [http://www.emigrant.ie/files/indexfile.asp?id=615 S3 to invest €9m in R&D in Dublin and Cork]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/finance/2006/0701/1146660096238.html Silicon and Software Systems (S3) yesterday completed a distribution agreement in Shanghai with Beijing Microtec Research (BMR) for its software product Embeddedmind]
* [http://www.actventure.com/news.asp?sectid=108 Silicon & Software Systems (S3) Introduces 90nm IP Portfolio for Consumer and Enterprise Networking Applications]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/finance/2007/1101/1193444293079.html S3 takes over Portuguese firm]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/finance/2007/0329/1175003416124.html Silicon Firm to invest 9M]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0328/breaking33.html S3 investment to create 20 jobs]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/finance/2006/0218/1137626855492.html Venture capital investment rises 13%]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/finance/2005/1222/1134117186410.html S3 closes ACT Venture deal]
* [http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2007/07/08/story24902.asp Design firm S3 continues expansion]
* [http://www.embeddedmind.com/news/16/1 S3's embeddedMIND(tm) extends Wind River VxWorks support]
* [http://www.xilinx.com/prs_rls/euros3pci.htm Xilinx and Silicon & Software Systems (S3) announce PCI design services partnership]
* [http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/12177/silicon-software-systems-s3-euro10-million-investment-act-venture-capital.html Silicon & Software Systems (S3) announces a Euro10 million investment by ACT Venture Capital]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200202/ai_mark01038733 Silicon & Software Systems (S3) Announces A Range Of Applications]
* [http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/apr/1133057.htm S3 - Honored as a Key Contributor to Award Winning Medical Product Design]
* [http://bizpr.news.prweb.com/releases/2006/2/prweb346591.htm S3 Collaborates with Hantro to Demonstrate DVB-H Software Evaluation Platform]
* [http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/?id=7992&print=yes S3 designs right-first-time in 90nm technology]

External links

* [http://www.s3group.com Silicon & Software System (S3) – Corporate Website]

Notes