CAST and Cortus to Partner on New Processor Cores

MUNICH, Germany, DATE, March 6, 2006 — Semiconductor intellectual property (IP) provider CAST, Inc. and microprocessor developer Cortus S.A. today announced they are partnering to develop, market, and support new microprocessor IP cores.

The new partnership joins the former-Siemens/Infineon processor design experts of Cortus with the successful engineering, support, and marketing team of 13-year-old CAST. The resulting new cores will likely include competitive 32-bit processors that complement CAST’s long-time 8051 8-bit cores.

“With 100-plus design wins, we have more 8051 processor customers and experience than anyone else still out there,” said Hal Barbour, president of CAST. “Partnering with Cortus means we’ll be able to offer the next step up in processing capability with remarkable designs and the same high levels of product quality and value CAST is known for.”

“Our new 32-bit processors promise to be some of the fastest, smallest, and most energy-efficient available,” said Michael Chapman, president of Cortus. “We researched many options for getting them to market, and are excited about delivering these innovative cores with the proven, well-respected people at CAST.”

The new collaboration is expected to yield products beginning in the second quarter of this year, and the firms are seeking Beta customers now. See www.cortus.com or www.cast-inc.com, or visit DATE booth B10 for more information.

About Cortus S.A

Cortus S.A. is an innovator in high-performance, ultra-low-power 16/32 bit embedded processor cores for digital consumer, security, networking, automotive and industrial applications. Cortus' products include a complete GNU-based tool chain running on Linux, Windows XP and Unix operating systems, and a base set of peripherals at no additional cost. Along with its ecosystem partners, Cortus offers complete solutions for both FPGA and ASIC designers. The company is based in Montpellier, France with an office in Silicon Valley, CA, and can be reached at +33 4.67.13.01.90, +1 (650) 465-3855, or http://www.cortus.com.

About CAST, Inc.

CAST provides over 100 popular and standards-based IP cores for ASICs and FPGAs. Privately owned and operating since 1993, CAST has established a reputation for high-quality IP products, simple licensing, and responsive technical support. The company is headquartered near New York City, partners with IP developers around the world, and works with select sales consultants and distributors throughout Europe and Asia.