India’s Semiconductor Revolution: MeitY’s Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme Pioneers a New Era in Chip Design

The Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme stands as a flagship initiative under MeitY’s broader strategy to establish India as a semiconductor powerhouse.

Recognizing the critical role of semiconductor design in shaping India’s technological and economic future, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is leading a transformative initiative to bolster India’s chip design ecosystem. With an ambitious vision, MeitY is proactively implementing structured programs aimed at fostering innovation, democratizing access to semiconductor technology, and cultivating a new generation of skilled engineers and entrepreneurs.

The initiative spans over 300 organizations, encompassing 250 academic institutions and 65 start-ups, thereby creating a nationwide network of semiconductor excellence. Aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision that ‘Design in India is as important as Make in India,’ the efforts undertaken by MeitY are set to unlock immense potential in India’s semiconductor industry.

Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme: Strengthening India’s Semiconductor Prowess

The Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme stands as a flagship initiative under MeitY’s broader strategy to establish India as a semiconductor powerhouse. With a comprehensive approach, this initiative aims to generate 85,000 industry-ready professionals specialized in semiconductor chip design at BTech, MTech, and PhD levels.

Key components of the C2S Programme include:

• Hands-on Learning: Students gain real-world experience in semiconductor chip design, fabrication, and testing through rigorous training modules and live industry projects.
• Industry Collaboration: The program partners with leading semiconductor firms to provide mentorship, research opportunities, and exposure to the latest technological advancements.
• Access to Advanced Infrastructure: Participants receive access to cutting-edge Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, semiconductor fabrication facilities, and testing resources to bring their chip design concepts to life.
• Prototype Development: Students and researchers work on R&D projects to develop fully functional Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), System-on-Chip (SoCs), and IP Core designs.

With these initiatives, MeitY ensures that India builds a strong, self-sufficient talent pipeline to support the nation’s ambitious semiconductor goals.

ChipIN Centre: A Pioneering Hub for Semiconductor Innovation

To further reinforce India’s semiconductor ecosystem, the ChipIN Centre, established under the C2S Programme at C-DAC, serves as a centralized hub for chip design and innovation. The centre offers state-of-the-art facilities for the entire chip design cycle, including processes up to 5nm and beyond, providing a competitive edge to Indian designers.

Key highlights of the ChipIN Centre:

• Centralized Chip Design Infrastructure: A fully equipped facility that hosts advanced tools for all stages of chip development.
• Fabrication and Packaging Services: Provides seamless aggregation of design-to-fabrication services, enabling designers to access foundries and packaging facilities.
• Bringing Technology to Innovators’ Doorsteps: By eliminating infrastructural constraints, the ChipIN Centre makes high-end chip design tools and expertise accessible to institutions, start-ups, and individual designers across India.

This initiative significantly lowers entry barriers for semiconductor innovation, allowing more stakeholders to actively participate in India’s chip revolution.

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Grand Finale: Analog and Digital Hackathons Showcase Cutting-Edge Talent

As part of its ongoing commitment to fostering innovation, MeitY hosted an exhilarating 100-hour deep-tech “Analog and Digital Hackathon”, in collaboration with leading industry giants AMD, Synopsys, and CoreEL Technologies. The event brought together 40 elite teams and 200 innovators, challenging them to solve real-world problems in semiconductor design.

Winning Teams of the Analog Design Hackathon:

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

Winning Teams of the Digital Design Hackathon:

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)

Participants leveraged EDA tools and cloud resources to tackle complex challenges, including enhancing LIVE image processing on FPGA hardware and optimizing voltage regulator circuits. The competition showcased India’s rising semiconductor talent and affirmed the country's growing expertise in chip design.

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Vervesemi Takes the Lead in Indigenous Semiconductor Development

To further strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem, MeitY announced the indigenous development of the BLDC Controller Chip, awarding the contract to Vervesemi Microelectronics Pvt. Ltd.

Key Highlights of the BLDC Controller Chip:

• 90% Bill of Materials (BOM) Made in India – A crucial step towards self-reliance in semiconductor manufacturing.
• Complete Power & Control Solution under $1.50 – Offering an affordable yet highly efficient chip solution.
• Scalability of 10 Million Units per Year – Supporting large-scale industrial adoption and production.

This development is a major milestone in India’s journey toward reducing dependency on foreign semiconductor components and establishing itself as a global leader in chip design and manufacturing.

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The Next Big Leap: Digital India RISC-V Processor

As part of its ambitious roadmap, MeitY announced the launch of the Digital India RISC-V Processor, with applications opening on April 10, 2025. The initiative aims to encourage innovation in RISC-V architecture by leveraging India’s homegrown VEGA Processors (C-DAC) and SHAKTI Microprocessors (IIT Madras).

Key Features of the Digital India RISC-V Processor Initiative:

• Open-Source Innovation: Encourages researchers and start-ups to develop next-generation semiconductor solutions.
• Industry Partnerships: Backed by Renesas, LTSC, CoreEL Technologies, and Bharat Electronics, ensuring robust technological support.
• Hands-On Experimentation: Provides a testbed for innovators to explore and develop new RISC-V based applications.

This initiative is set to unlock new opportunities in high-performance computing, IoT devices, and embedded systems, positioning India as a significant player in the global semiconductor industry.

Conclusion: Empowering India’s Semiconductor Future

The Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme, along with the ChipIN Centre, hackathons, indigenous semiconductor projects, and the Digital India RISC-V Processor, collectively mark a paradigm shift in India’s semiconductor ambitions. MeitY’s efforts are not just about fostering innovation but also about ensuring that India gains strategic independence in semiconductor technology.

By nurturing a new generation of semiconductor designers, empowering start-ups, and strengthening industry collaborations, India is rapidly emerging as a global semiconductor hub. The momentum built by these initiatives is set to propel the nation toward a future where it is not just a consumer but a creator of cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.

The journey has just begun, and the world is watching as India takes bold strides towards semiconductor self-reliance and global leadership.