India’s Semiconductor Moment: Democratizing Chip Design for a Self-Reliant Future
New Delhi— In a landmark move, the Government of India has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap to democratize semiconductor chip design, bringing cutting-edge technology to students, startups, and innovators across the nation.
Empowering Innovators: Hackathon Winners Announced
In a major boost to India’s semiconductor ambitions, the winners of the ‘Analog and Digital Design Hackathons’ were announced, with 40 elite teams and 200 innovators competing in a 100-hour deep-tech challenge. Supported by AMD, Synopsys, and CoreEL Technologies, the hackathons tested participants on real-world problems such as enhancing LIVE image processing on FPGA hardware and optimizing complex voltage regulator circuits.
Analog Design Hackathon Winners:
- 1st Prize: Team Intuition from IIT Delhi.
- 2nd Prize: Team Analog Edge from NIT Rourkela.
- 3rd Prize: Team FETManiacs from IIT Guwahati.
Digital Design Hackathon Winners:
- 1st Prize: Team RISCB from IIT Bombay.
- 2nd Prize: Team Silicon Scripters from Saveetha Engineering College.
- 3rd Prize: Team Daedalus from IIT (BHU Varanasi).
Boosting Indigenization: BLDC Motor Controller Chip
A major highlight was the awarding of the indigenous ‘BLDC Controller Chip’ development to M/s Vervesemi Microelectronics Pvt. Ltd. This breakthrough chip boasts:
- 90% Bill of Materials (BOM) Made in India, ensuring self-reliance.
- Affordable Power and Control Solution under $1.50.
- Scalability of 10 million units per year, catering to large-scale deployment.
Vervesemi, a fabless semiconductor company founded in 2017, has established itself as a leader in high-performance ASICs for sensors and wireless applications, with chip designs ranging from 8nm to 180nm nodes across leading foundries like Samsung, UMC, and TSMC.
Next Big Leap: Digital India RISC-V Grand Challenge
Taking the next step in democratizing chip design, the government announced the launch of the ‘Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Grand Challenge,’ set to open applications from April 10. Innovators will develop solutions leveraging indigenous processors like the VEGA Processor from C-DAC and the SHAKTI Processor from IIT Madras. The initiative is backed by industry leaders such as Renesas, LTSC, CoreEL Technologies, and Bharat Electronics, with incubation support from MakerVillage.
A Vision for India as a “Product Nation”
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw underscored the need for India to transition from a service-based economy to a product-driven nation, stating:
“While India has excelled in the service industry, we must now become a product nation. The democratization of chip design will empower students, startups, and researchers, creating a vibrant ecosystem to propel India to the forefront of semiconductor innovation.”
The C2S Programme is set to train 85,000 industry-ready professionals across B.Tech, M.Tech, and PhD levels, providing hands-on experience with chip design, fabrication, and testing through access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and semiconductor foundries. The newly established ChipIN Centre at C-DAC will serve as a central hub, offering state-of-the-art infrastructure for chip design up to the 5nm node, along with fabrication and packaging services.
As India takes bold strides towards semiconductor self-sufficiency, these initiatives mark the dawn of a new era where innovation is not confined to a select few but democratized for the masses — ushering in India’s Semiconductor Moment.
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