Octopart

Octopart is a web-based search engine and data platform for electronic and industrial components. Its service brings together information that is otherwise distributed across manufacturer catalogs, distributor websites, technical documents, and supply-chain systems. Engineers, procurement teams, manufacturing organizations, and other users can search for parts by manufacturer part number, keyword, or technical characteristics, then compare specifications, availability, pricing, order quantities, lead times, and purchasing sources in one interface. The platform was founded in 2007 by physics graduate students Andres Morey, Sam Wurzel, and Harish Agarwal. Morey and Wurzel later participated in Y Combinator after leaving graduate school. Octopart developed around the practical difficulty of identifying suitable electronic components and obtaining reliable purchasing information during hardware design and procurement. Rather than functioning as a conventional distributor, it operates primarily as an information, discovery, comparison, and referral platform. Octopart's core experience combines parametric search with aggregated component data. Users can filter parts according to electrical and mechanical attributes such as package type, tolerance, voltage rating, temperature range, and other manufacturer-defined specifications. The platform also supports searches involving numbers, units, and fractions, and can suggest alternatives that may be technically similar or suitable for a particular design. Component pages can include datasheets, manufacturer information, lifecycle indicators, historical inventory and price information, PCB symbols, footprints, and three-dimensional models when those materials are available in the underlying data. The service also includes tools for bill-of-materials work. Users can upload or build a BOM, match line items to records in the component database, compare offers across distributors, account for price breaks and availability, and apply preferred or approved distributor lists. Purchasing workflows can be exported as costed BOMs or assembled into distributor shopping carts through Octocart. Octopart additionally makes component information available through APIs and other data integrations for procurement applications, inventory systems, enterprise workflows, and electronic-design environments. Octopart's end-user search and browsing service is generally free. Its commercial model is directed toward manufacturers, distributors, and business customers that pay for qualified referral traffic, sponsored exposure, data access, feeds, APIs, or customized integrations. This model allows suppliers to make their products discoverable while giving buyers a consolidated view of competing sources. The platform is used by hardware and electronics design engineers, component and supply-chain engineers, procurement managers, electronics manufacturing services providers, and advanced hobbyists. Common use cases include component selection during schematic and PCB design, BOM validation, finding substitutes during shortages or price changes, and comparing purchasing options for production quantities. Altium acquired Octopart in 2015 and retained it as a distinct product brand within Altium's broader design and component-data ecosystem. Renesas Electronics completed its acquisition of Altium in August 2024, making Octopart an indirect subsidiary within the Renesas group. In February 2025, Octopart migrated user accounts to Altium Identity, a shared authentication system used across Altium products and related platforms. Octopart reported 20 million unique users in 2024. In 2025, it announced Octopart Discover, a planned component-discovery platform intended to help engineers begin with system-level requirements and functional intent rather than only with a known part number. The product was expected to become available in the second half of 2026.

Octopart was established in 2007 by Andres Morey, Sam Wurzel, and Harish Agarwal, three physics graduate students who focused on the difficulty of finding and purchasing electronic components. The founders developed a web-based approach to a fragmented market in which technical specifications, distributor inventory, pricing, and manufacturer documentation were often spread across many separate sources. Morey and Wurzel subsequently left graduate school and participated in Y Combinator, the startup accelerator founded by Paul Graham and Jessica Livingston. The company's initial proposition was to make component research faster and more transparent. Instead of requiring an engineer or buyer to visit numerous distributor sites and manually reconcile inconsistent listings, Octopart aggregated component records and commercial offers into a searchable interface. Its database-oriented approach supported searches by part number, keyword, and technical parameters, making it useful both to users who already knew the desired component and to those still defining requirements. Over time, Octopart expanded beyond basic web search. Its component records incorporated technical documentation and design resources such as datasheets, PCB symbols, footprints, and three-dimensional models where available. Search and comparison functions were supplemented by lifecycle information, historical stock and price trends, and alternative-part suggestions. These capabilities positioned the service as a bridge between design engineering and procurement rather than merely as a directory of distributors. The company also developed BOM-oriented workflows. Engineers and purchasing teams could upload or construct bills of materials, match line items against Octopart's data, compare distributor offers, account for quantity pricing and availability, and use preferred-supplier rules. Octocart supported the creation of distributor shopping carts, while APIs and data feeds allowed organizations to connect Octopart information with procurement, inventory, enterprise, and design systems. In 2015, Altium acquired Octopart. Altium was known for Altium Designer, its printed-circuit-board design software, and the acquisition gave Octopart a closer connection to a broader electronics-design workflow. Octopart continued to operate under its own brand while becoming part of Altium's product and data platform. Renesas Electronics completed its acquisition of Altium in August 2024 for an equity value of approximately A$9.1 billion. As a result, Octopart became an indirect subsidiary of Renesas through Altium. The ownership change placed Octopart within a larger semiconductor and electronics technology group, while the service continued to function as a component-information and sourcing platform. In February 2025, Octopart migrated user accounts to Altium Identity, a unified authentication system shared by Altium products including Altium Designer, Valispace, and Altium 365. The company reported 20 million unique users in 2024. In 2025, Octopart also announced Octopart Discover, a planned service intended to change the starting point for component research. Rather than requiring a known part number, the proposed platform would let engineers describe functional blocks, system requirements, and constraints before narrowing the available component choices. It was expected to become available in the second half of 2026. Today, Octopart's business combines a free search and browsing experience for end users with commercial services for manufacturers, distributors, and enterprise customers. Revenue-related offerings include sponsored or qualified referral traffic, data access, APIs, feeds, and customized integrations. The platform serves global electronics-design and procurement communities, including professional engineers, supply-chain specialists, electronics manufacturing services providers, purchasing teams, and advanced hobbyists.

• 2025

  Migration to Altium Identity

  [1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Octopart moves user accounts to Altium's shared identity and authentication system.

• 2025

  Octopart Discover announced

  [1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Octopart announces a planned system-intent-driven component-discovery product, with availability expected in the second half of 2026.

• 2024

  Renesas acquires Altium

  [1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Renesas Electronics completes its acquisition of Altium, making Octopart an indirect company within the Renesas group.

• 2015

  Acquisition by Altium

  [1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Altium acquires Octopart, bringing the component-search platform into its broader PCB design and electronics-data portfolio.

• 2007

  Octopart is founded

  [1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Andres Morey, Sam Wurzel, and Harish Agarwal establish Octopart to improve the discovery and comparison of electronic components.

A professional search, comparison, and supply-chain intelligence platform for electronic and industrial components.

• Electronic component search and comparison · 2007

  Octopart Component Search Engine

  The core Octopart service lets users search electronic and industrial components by manufacturer part number, keyword, or technical parameters. Results consolidate manufacturer and distributor information, including specifications, stock, pricing, order quantities, lead times, lifecycle indicators, technical documents, and links to purchasing sources. Parametric filters support electrical and mechanical requirements, while alternative-part suggestions help users identify potentially compatible components.

• Bill-of-materials management

  Octopart BOM Tool

  The BOM Tool supports uploading or creating a bill of materials and matching its line items against Octopart's component database. Users can compare distributor offers across a project, review price breaks and availability, apply preferred or approved distributor lists, and generate costed purchasing information. It is intended to connect design documentation with sourcing and procurement work.

• Purchasing workflow

  Octocart

  Octocart is a purchasing-oriented feature associated with Octopart's BOM workflow. It can turn sourcing results into distributor shopping carts, helping users move from component comparison to purchasing across supported suppliers. The feature is designed for projects that require multiple parts, quantity-based pricing, and coordinated procurement.

• Component data services

  Octopart APIs and Data Integrations

  Octopart provides access to component information through APIs, feeds, and integrations. Organizations can use these services to connect technical and commercial component data with procurement tools, inventory systems, enterprise applications, and electronic-design environments. Altium products and related platforms also incorporate Octopart data and supply-chain visibility.

• Context-driven component discovery · 2025

  Octopart Discover

  Announced in 2025, Octopart Discover is designed to help engineers identify components from system intent rather than starting only with a known part number. The planned experience is intended to capture functional blocks, requirements, and constraints, then narrow component options according to the broader design context. Availability was expected in the second half of 2026.

• 2025

  Unified account migrationStrategy

  Background

  Octopart operated alongside Altium products that used a shared ecosystem, creating a rationale for common identity management.

  Action taken

  Octopart migrated user accounts to Altium Identity, the unified login system used across Altium products and related platforms.

  Aftermath

  Users gained a shared authentication path across Octopart and participating Altium services. Octopart reported 20 million unique users in 2024.

  Source

• 2025

  Octopart Discover announcementProduct launch

  Background

  Traditional component search often begins with a known part number or a narrow technical query, which can make early-stage system-level component discovery difficult.

  Action taken

  Octopart announced Octopart Discover, a planned platform intended to begin with functional blocks, system intent, and design constraints.

  Aftermath

  The product was expected to become available in the second half of 2026; its final commercial scope and adoption were not yet established in the available source material.

  Source

• 2024

  Transition into the Renesas groupM&A

  Background

  Renesas Electronics pursued the acquisition of Altium to expand its software and electronics-design capabilities. Altium was Octopart's parent company at the time.

  Action taken

  Renesas completed the acquisition of Altium, making Octopart an indirect subsidiary of Renesas.

  Aftermath

  Octopart remained an Altium product brand while operating within the ownership structure of the Renesas group.

  Altium acquisition equity value. Approximately A$9.1 billion (2024)

  Source

• 2015

  Altium acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Octopart had built a component-search and data platform serving electronics engineers and procurement users. Altium operated a major PCB design software business and could connect component information more closely with design workflows.

  Action taken

  Altium acquired Octopart and retained the service as a distinct brand within its broader design and data platform.

  Aftermath

  Octopart continued providing search, comparison, BOM, referral, API, and data services while gaining a closer relationship with Altium's design products.

  Source

• 2025

  Octopart migrates accounts to Altium Identity[1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Octopart moved user accounts to Altium Identity, a unified login system shared with Altium products and related platforms.

• 2025

  Octopart announces Octopart Discover[1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Octopart announced a planned component-discovery platform that starts from system intent, functional blocks, and design constraints instead of requiring users to begin with a known part number. Availability was expected in the second half of 2026.

• 2024

  Renesas completes acquisition of Altium[1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Renesas Electronics completed its acquisition of Altium at an equity value of approximately A$9.1 billion. Octopart consequently became an indirect subsidiary of Renesas.

• 2015

  Altium acquires Octopart[1]Octoparten.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Altium acquired Octopart and incorporated the component-search business into its wider PCB design and electronics-data ecosystem while continuing to operate Octopart as a distinct product brand.

1. 1Octoparten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Octopart official websiteoctopart.com