The WELD group at the University of California, Berkeley seeks to enable electronic design over the Internet. By providing to the EDA community toolkits, protocols, and interfaces, the WELD team is establishing a common, open framework which designers and tool suppliers can easily enhance and add to.

A web-based, networked design environment has many advantages, including high scalability, ease of use, and instant access to current information. It also facilitates collaboration between designers, and provides ubiquitous access to design data, allowing designers to work in the office, at home, or on the road.

The WELD team currently consists of fourteen researchers and is directed by Professor A. Richard Newton.