David Overhauser received his BS in Math and Computer Science from Purdue University in 1983 and his MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1985 and 1989 respectively. From 1989-95 he was Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University where he founded the Design Automation Technology Center. The center included workstations and over $40 million in CAD software. He taught classes in VLSI design, chip testing and CAD tool design. He performed research ranging from underwater acoustic visualization to timing simulation of the CMOS computer chips.

In 1995 David founded Simplex Solutions and developed the VoltageStorm and Fire&Ice products as Vice President of Engineering. Other duties included overseeing the patent program, product marketing, and assessing potential acquisitions. After two acquisitions and an IPO in 2001, Simplex was acquired by Cadence Design Systems in 2002. He held the role of Senior Architect in the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Division at Cadence. Duties at Cadence included business, marketing, and technical support for parasitic extraction, power grid analysis, and physical verification. David also worked on various partner programs with several other Cadence business units as well as external companies. These projects resulted in contributions in statistical static timing analysis and test chip design as well as strategies for future products. He was deeply involved in relationships with several partners, including TSMC, Samsung, and Applied Materials. He also served on the Cadence patent committee.

As of July 2005 David has been semi-retired, working as a strategic and technical consultant. He has helped several EDA startups in the design-for-manufacturing area and has made several investments. He has given technical and entrepreneurial presentations to a variety of audiences. He has 6 patents, has published 2 books and over 30 technical papers.