2026 Outlook with Paul Neil of Mach42

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your company

I’m Paul, Chief Operating Officer at Mach42. As COO, I am responsible for the business growth of Mach42, as well as driving customer success. My previous roles included VP of Product at Axelera AI, Graphcore and XMOS. I hold a PhD in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Technology Management.

Mach42 is delivering a modern solution to accelerate analog and mixed-signal verification, leveraging advanced machine learning and AI to simplify, automate, and speed up complex verification tasks. Our proprietary neural network technology enables the creation of high-accuracy surrogate models from minimal data, dramatically reducing development and computational costs. These models can be automatically exported in Verilog-A, System Verilog, and C/C++ formats, enabling seamless integration with industry-standard simulators.

What was the most exciting high point of 2025 for your company?

One of the standout high points in 2025 was successfully unveiling a breakthrough AI-powered solution for analog circuit analysis. Our Discovery Platform was enhanced to dramatically improve validation of design performance across varying spec conditions, supporting near-realtime analysis to rapidly detect out-of-spec violations.

Another major highlight was being named a finalist in four prestigious awards this year. This includes the Design Tool and Development Software Product of the Year at the Elektra Awards, the Innovation Award at the OXBA Awards and both AI Innovation of the Year and Innovative Tech Company of the Year at the Thames Valley Tech and Innovation Awards.

What was the biggest challenge your company faced in 2025?

Our main challenge was striking the right balance between long-term product innovation and near-term customer deliverables. We’ve addressed this by embedding domain-specific analog intelligence into our neural network technology, enabling near–real-time verification while remaining fully compatible with existing EDA workflows.

As a result, Mach42 can automatically generate accurate surrogate models in Verilog-A format that run on standard SPICE-class simulators, significantly reducing verification time without compromising accuracy.

How is your company’s work addressing this challenge?

Mach42 addresses this challenge by combining physics-aware neural network models with deep analog design expertise to deliver immediate, production-ready value. Our platform integrates directly into existing EDA workflows, allowing engineers to achieve near–real-time verification speeds without changing how they design or verify circuits.

By automatically generating accurate surrogate models in Verilog-A, Mach42 dramatically reduces simulation time while preserving SPICE-level fidelity, enabling faster design iteration and earlier identification of corner-case issues.

Additionally, our advisory board and dedicated technical team help shape a credible long-term roadmap. Industry recognition and programs such as Cadence’s Connections Program further reinforce trust in our technology.

What do you think the biggest growth area for 2026 will be, and why?

Looking to 2026, AI-driven verification and simulation in semiconductor design is poised for significant growth. As chips become increasingly complex and time-to-market pressures intensify, engineers will demand solutions that accelerate verification while maintaining the highest levels of accuracy. Tools that combine speed, scalability, and predictive insights will become essential to meeting these challenges.

How is your company’s work addressing this growth?

Mach42’s Discovery Platform directly addresses this growth by leveraging machine-learning–driven emulation to rapidly predict design outcomes and accelerate design space exploration, identifying out-of-spec conditions early. It also streamlines IP reuse by validating performance across varied specifications and integrates seamlessly with existing simulators and flows, making adoption straightforward for design teams. These capabilities position Mach42 as a key enabler for next-generation semiconductor design.

Are you incorporating AI into your products? / Is AI affecting the way you develop your products?

Absolutely. AI is at the heart of our platform, powering proprietary algorithms that accelerate traditionally slow simulation and verification tasks while preserving accuracy, delivering orders-of-magnitude speedups. It’s not just a feature—AI shapes both the product and how we develop it. Our models learn from past simulation data, adapt to complex analog design challenges, and continuously improve through real-world feedback, enhancing both performance and reliability.

How do customers normally engage with your company?

Customers typically start with a focused engagement to identify their key areas of interest. After this initial phase, they move to an annual subscription, which provides full access to the Mach42 Discovery Platform, R&D support, and ongoing technical assistance.

Additional comments?

Mach42’s rapid progress in 2025—from major product milestones to industry recognition—highlights the rising demand for AI-first solutions in complex engineering. Positioned at the intersection of AI, simulation, and semiconductor design, we are uniquely equipped to shape the future of chip development.

Contact Mach42

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