Functional verification insights: a conversation with Abhi Kolpekwar

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of sharing industry data and analysis through the Siemens EDA & Wilson Research Group Functional Verification Studies. Those findings help us understand the challenges our industry faces—rising complexity, resource pressures, and declining first-silicon success rates.

But numbers only take us so far. What we also need is vision—a sense of where we’re headed and how we can navigate the road ahead. That’s why I was excited to watch this recent DV Digest interview with Abhi Kolpekwar, VP and General Manager of Siemens EDA Digital Verification Technologies. Guided by DV Digest’s Brodie Grant, Abhi offers a candid look at today’s verification landscape and, more importantly, a vision for its future.

You can watch the full interview here:

Why I Think You Should Watch

Abhi sits at the intersection of customer challenges and technology innovation. He sees firsthand the pressures teams face—increasing complexity, skills shortages, and relentless time-to-market demands—while also shaping Siemens’ strategy to meet them.

What struck me most about this conversation is that it isn’t just about tools or methodologies. Abhi talks about connecting people, process, and technology in ways that directly influence product quality, safety, and competitiveness.

A Few Highlights

Without giving away the whole conversation, here are a few themes that stood out to me:

• Complexity as the new normal – Verification has become mission-critical at the system level.
• AI as an enabler – Machine learning is poised to augment, not replace, verification engineers.
• Closing the talent gap – The need to develop the next generation of verification experts.
• Verification as strategy – How strong verification practices drive real business outcomes.

Final Thoughts

As someone who spends a lot of time digging into the data, I found Abhi’s perspective refreshing. The Siemens EDA & Wilson Research Group studies show us the challenges; Abhi provides a vision for how to respond.

If you’re looking for insights that go beyond the numbers and frame verification as a driver of competitive advantage, I encourage you to watch this interview.

And after you do, I’d love to hear what resonated most with you.