Dongbu HiTek, the Seoul, Korea-based provider of analog and mixed signal semiconductor technologies, announced the launch of an analog/power semiconductor ecosystem that promises to reduce both the time and cost to develop automotive and power ICs.

Dubbed as Analog POWERhouse Connection, the new ecosystem efficiently links Dongbu HiTek’s BCDMOS foundry processing with 18 well established companies, each with expertise at key nodes along the IC supply chain, company officials said. Of them, four specialize in intellectual property (IP) and design while five focus on testing and nine on packaging.

Dongbu HiTek acts as the hub of the ecosystem. Over the past decade, the company has steadily expanded its capabilities to meet the demanding criteria to manufacture automotive ICs.

Triune Systems is a design/IP ecosystem partner and targets the automotive electronics market with its LIN transceiver IP. Other design and IP specialists playing key roles in the ecosystem include Mandate and IK Semicon, both providing comprehensive design services in power management, and POPCore Tech, which specializes in precision analog design capabilities, company officials said.

Testing specialists joining the ecosystem include Anora and Microtech Laboratories in the U.S, KYEC in Taiwan, and GM Test and I-Test in Korea.

Packaging specialists include Chipbond and TICP in Taiwan, UNISEM in Malaysia, and NEPES, LBS, SEMITEQ, Hanamicron, and Signetics in Korea, as well as AMKOR.

“We carefully formulated our ecosystem to provide the industry’s most efficient and collaborative support for chip designers targeting the automotive and power IC market,” asserted Jae Song, VP of sales and marketing for Dongbu HiTek, in a statement.

“From providing critical IP access, prototype design/verification and specialized wafer processing to testing and packaging, our Analog POWERhouse Specialists deliver superb performance across all critical steps in the development of automotive and power ICs,” Song added.

According to Song, POWERhouse Connection will expand in two ways: by adding new resources from current partners in the supply chain; and by selectively adding new expert-partners at strategic locations around the globe.

By tailoring ecosystem support to the needs of each customer and efficiently managing selected resources, Dongbu HiTek aims to sharpen its competitive edge as well as that of its customers, according to company officials.

Back in August, Dongbu HiTek announced it is expanding its European presence by opening a sales office in Nice, France, with plans to open another in Milan, Italy later this year.