SYNTEST JOINS MAGMATIES PROGRAM

Will Integrate Test Tools into Magma's RTL-to-GDSII Design Flow

CUPERTINO, Calif., April 7, 2003 - Magma Design Automation Inc. (Nasdaq: LAVA), a provider of chip design solutions, today announced that SynTest Technologies has joined the MagmaTies program to integrate its design-for-test (DFT) solution with Magma's fully integrated RTL-to-GDSII IC design flow. SynTest and Magma will work together to establish a fast and comprehensive DFT flow that will include SynTest's DFT rule checking, boundary scan insertion, built-in self-test (BIST) technologies for testing memory and logic, as well as scan-based automatic test-pattern generation (ATPG) testing. This integration will complement Magma's existing scan-based DFT methodology.

SynTest plans to integrate its unique VirtualScanTM ATPG test vector compression technologies to generate XtremeCompactTM manufacturing vectors for commercial testers.

Magma and SynTest will work jointly with mutual customers to validate the flow and bring it to production.

"Our customers will benefit from the integration of our test technology with a design flow with such market presence as Magma's," said Ravi Apte, SynTest's vice president of business development. "The full integration of Magma's approach to IC design means it can handle complex designs and reduce development cycles. This has clear advantages for designers, and we're happy to become part of that flow."

"We're pleased to have SynTest as a development partner. As the SynTest tools generate synthesizable RTL DFT blocks, it will result in a smooth integration into our Magma flow," said Nitin Deo, vice president of business development for Magma. "The addition of SynTest's test technology will provide even stronger capabilities for our customers as they work on advanced designs."

About MagmaTies

Through the MagmaTies program, Magma and its partners work together to promote interoperability between Magma's systems and other EDA software and to develop proven methodologies for getting complex designs to silicon quickly and efficiently. The MagmaTies Design Center Certification program provides members access to Magma solutions, dedicated technical support and sales opportunity referrals. To become a certified member, companies must excel in logic or physical design and be able to provide positive customer references. Also, prospects must complete technical seminars and demonstrate proficiency in using Magma tools.

With access to Magma software and training, certified Magma design centers can offer their customers comprehensive RTL-to-GDSII design capabilities. MagmaTies is open to companies that offer ASIC and semiconductor foundry services, complementary EDA software, design automation libraries, reusable designs and intellectual property (IP), and design services. For information on the MagmaTies program, please e-mail magmaties@magma-da.com.

About Magma Design Automation

Magma software is used to design fast, multimillion-gate integrated circuits, providing "The Fastest Path from RTL to Silicon"â, to enable chip designers to reduce the time required to produce complex ICs. Magma's products for prototyping, synthesis, and place & route provide a single executable for RTL-to-GDSII chip design. The company's Blast Createâ, Blast Fusionç, Blast Fusion APXâ, Blast Planâ and Blast Noiseç products utilize Magma's patented FixedTimingç methodology and single data model architecture to reduce the timing-closure iterations often required between the logic and physical processes in conventional IC design flows.

Magma maintains headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., as well as facilities in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, Calif.; Boston, Mass.; Durham, N.C.; Austin and Dallas, Texas; Newcastle, Wash.; and in Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. The company's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA. Visit Magma Design Automation on the Web at www.magma-da.com.

About SynTest

SynTest Technologies, Inc., est. 1990, develops and markets advanced Design-for-Test (DFT) and Design-for-Debug/Diagnosis (DFD) tools throughout the world, to semiconductor companies, system houses and design services providers. The Company's products improve an electronic design's testability and fault coverage and result in reduced defect levels and reduced slippage in Time-to-Market (TTM). They also reduce overall design and test costs, by helping to reduce design iterations as well as the time and reloads on Automatic Test Equipment (ATE). These products include tools for logic BIST, memory BIST, boundary-scan synthesis, DFT testability analysis, scan synthesis, ATPG with XtremeCompactTM test vectors, concurrent fault simulation, silicon debug and diagnosis.

The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has offices in Taiwan, Korea and Japan, and distributors in Europe and Asia, including Israel. More information is available at www.syntest.com. SynTest Technologies is headquartered at 505 South Pastoria Ave., Suite 101, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086. Phone: 408-720-9956. E-mail: info@syntest.com

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Blast Fusion, Blast Noise, FixedTiming and Magma are registered trademarks, and Blast Create, Blast Fusion APX, Blast Plan and "The Fastest Path from RTL to Silicon" are trademarks of Magma Design Automation. All other product and company names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements about the features and benefits of Magma's system, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to, Magma's ability to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and its products ability to produce desired results. Further discussion of these and other potential risk factors may be found in Magma's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2002 and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 7, 2003, and from time to time in Magma's SEC reports. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Magma disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CONTACT:
Magma Design Automation Inc.
Monica Marmie, Marketing Communications Manager, (408) 864-2027, monical@magma-da.com