Hackathons are proving to be a effective way in democratizing chip design and boosting indigenization. MeitY has announced the winners of the recently concluded ‘Analog & Digital Design Hackathons’. This initiative, which saw participation from 2,210 teams and 10,040 students, marks a very right step in India's journey towards semiconductor self-reliance.
After intense rounds of coding, design challenges, and expert-led training, 40 elite teams and 200 innovators competed in the Grand Finale of the 100-hour deep-tech "Analog and Digital Hackathons". The winners are:
Analog Design Hackathon:
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:
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:
M/s Vervesemi Microelectronics has been awarded the development of the ‘BLDC Controller Chip’, featuring 90% BOM made in India. This chip offers a complete power and control solution under $1.50 and scalability at 10 million units per year.
Boosting Indigenization:
M/s Vervesemi Microelectronics has been awarded the development of the ‘BLDC Controller Chip’, featuring 90% BOM made in India. This chip offers a complete power and control solution under $1.50 and scalability at 10 million units per year.
The launch of the ‘Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Grand Challenge’ was also announced, inviting applications from April 10th onwards. This challenge, powered by VEGA Processors from C-DAC and SHAKTI Microprocessors from IIT Madras, aims to foster innovative applications and further India's semiconductor capabilities.
Umbrella programme "Chips to Startup(C2S) initiated by Government of India, aims to generate 85,000 industry-ready professionals specialized in semiconductor chip design. This comprehensive approach includes hands-on experience in chip design, fabrication, and testing, facilitated by industry partnerships and access to advanced resources. A centralized design facility, the ChipIN Centre at C-DAC, provides state-of-the-art tools for the entire chip design cycle, supporting fabrication and packaging services.
While addressing the gathering, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that we must all collectively adopt three approaches for India to become a product nation.
These solutions should come from a broader category of stakeholders, involving partnerships across all tiers of academia, start-ups, students, and researchers, rather than just a select few.
The incremental yet progressive approach needs to be ensured to achieve these solutions. Some chips may have low value but high deployment potential, while others may have high value but limited deployment potential. The entire spectrum should be targeted. While the BLDC Controller chip development announced today has significant volume deployment potential, RISC-V, being open-source, holds very high-value due to its use in designing CPUs, GPUs, and sustainable products for the country.
India's semiconductor moment has truly arrived, presenting a significant opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs and researchers to lead the future of semiconductor systems and devices. The C2S Programme, in alignment with the nation's commitment to building a robust semiconductor ecosystem, is empowering the next generation to drive technological advancements and propel India towards becoming a global powerhouse.
