From Labs to Life: Top IITs, NIT to Spearhead India’s Chip Design Mission

New Delhi: India’s semiconductor ecosystem has received a significant boost, with top engineering institutions such as IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, NIT Rourkela, and Saveetha Engineering College taking the lead in advancing chip design innovation. Through the "Analog and Digital Hackathons" under the Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme, these institutions are solving real-world challenges in semiconductor technology.

Hackathon Winners

The "Analog and Digital Hackathons" saw 40 elite teams and 200 innovators from across the country competing to address pressing semiconductor challenges. Supported by industry giants like AMD, Synopsys, and CoreEL Technologies, the hackathons tasked participants with enhancing LIVE image processing on FPGA hardware for digital design and optimizing complex voltage regulator circuits for analog design.

The results of the hackathon were announced by Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, who congratulated the winning teams for their exceptional contributions to India’s chip design innovation.

Analog Design Hackathon Winners:

1. 1st Prize: Team Intuition from IIT Delhi  

2. 2nd Prize: Team Analog Edge from NIT Rourkela  

3. 3rd Prize: Team FETManiacs from IIT Guwahati  

Digital Design Hackathon Winners:

1. 1st Prize: Team RISCB from IIT Bombay  

2. 2nd Prize: Team Silicon Scripters from Saveetha Engineering College  

3. 3rd Prize: Team Daedalus from IIT (BHU) Varanasi  

The C2S Programme, spearheaded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is designed to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem by creating 85,000 industry-ready engineers specializing in chip design at the BTech, MTech, and PhD levels. The programme provides hands-on training in chip fabrication, testing, and development, supported by Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, semiconductor foundries, and mentorship from industry experts.

By bridging the gap between academia and industry, the C2S Programme ensures that the next generation of engineers is equipped to drive India’s semiconductor innovation forward.

To accelerate the growth of India’s chip design sector, MeitY has launched the ChipIN Centre at C-DAC, one of the largest centralized chip design facilities in the country. The center offers access to state-of-the-art tools for the entire chip design cycle, including cutting-edge technologies up to the 5nm node. It also provides services for chip fabrication and packaging, ensuring that India has the infrastructure needed to lead in global semiconductor innovation.

Indigenous Innovation: Vervesemi Selected for BLDC Controller Chip Development

In another step toward achieving self-reliance in semiconductor technology, Vervesemi Microelectronics Pvt. Ltd. has been selected to develop the indigenous "BLDC Controller Chip." This innovation promises to contribute significantly to India’s semiconductor goals, offering a complete power and control solution at under $1.50, with 90% of its Bill of Materials (BOM) sourced from India. With scalability of up to 10 million units per year, this development is a key milestone in advancing India’s semiconductor self-sufficiency.

Next Big Leap: Digital India RISC-V Processor

Looking ahead, the launch of the "Digital India RISC-V Processor" marks a new chapter in India’s chip design journey. Set to invite applications starting from April 10, 2025, this initiative aims to foster innovation using the VEGA Processor by C-DAC and the SHAKTI Microprocessor by IIT Madras. With support from industry partners such as Renesas, LTSC, CoreEL Technologies, and Bharat Electronics, this initiative is poised to play a key role in advancing India’s position in the global semiconductor race.