Hong launched Simantic in September 2025 as a solo venture aimed at modernizing hardware development workflows. Hong came up with "Simantic" by combining "simulation" and "semantic," reflecting his belief that hardware simulation tools must evolve alongside AI-driven engineering. While AI can increasingly help design hardware and write firmware, testing often remains dependent on costly and time-consuming physical devices. "Today, AI can already help write hardware and firmware code, but testing remains largely manual and dependent on physical devices," Hong says. "We're building the infrastructure that lets engineers and AI validate those systems in simulation before hardware is ever manufactured."