India’s semiconductor design ecosystem is witnessing significant growth, driven by the Ministry of Electronics and IT’s (MeitY) Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme and Chips to Startup (C2S) Programme. These initiatives are fostering a robust environment for startups in the chip design sector.
Netrasemi, a startup under the government’s chip design scheme, has secured ₹107 crore in venture capital (VC) investment. The company focuses on developing chips for smart vision, CCTV cameras, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, noted that India’s design capabilities, supported by the India Semiconductor Mission, are paving the way for startups like Netrasemi to succeed and inspire others.
Since the DLI Scheme’s launch in 2022, the government has committed ₹234 crore to support chip design projects from 22 companies, with a total project cost of ₹690 crore. These chips target applications in CCTV cameras, mobile networks, satellites, cars, and smart devices. Collectively, these startups have raised over ₹380 crore from VC investors. Five startups have successfully built and tested their chip designs with global manufacturers, while 72 companies have gained access to advanced software tools to aid their design processes.
Other notable startups include Mindgrove Technologies, which raised ₹85 crore for CCTV chip design, and Fermionic Design, which secured ₹50 crore for satellite communication chips. Morphing Machines, InCore Semiconductors, and BigEndian Semiconductors are also advancing toward production stages. The government’s push to position India as a ‘product nation’ is encouraging young companies to innovate in chip design, with private investors increasingly backing their efforts to scale and bring products to market.
Read our another article on this topic "India’s Semiconductor Product Design Startup Rise: Can VC Investment Fuel the Trend?"
