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T-Hub, which leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem, announced the launch of the semiconductor cohort of the AIC T-Hub Foundation program to foster innovation and entrepreneurship across the semiconductor sector. The program is designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of scaling the startup through expert-led workshops, specialised mentorship, market access, and investor and industry connect.
This is a six-month-long intense hybrid cohort-based program which will mentor 20 startups with potentially disruptive technologies that could reshape semiconductor supply chains in the future. The startups will be selected based on technological innovation, go-to-market readiness, scalability, and team composition. Interested startups can apply here, and the application closing date is 5 September 2022.
MSR, CEO of T-Hub, said, “Indian engineers have contributed massively to the semiconductor sector while working with global companies. Therefore, we must aid them in setting up and scaling their design startups with solid support from the ecosystem. T-Hub and AIC, together with other ecosystem enablers through this program, are trying to provide the semiconductor startups access to the right mentorship, funding channels and networking opportunities.”
The semiconductor cohort of the program will ensure that the selected startups get customised consultation for product commercialisation and market access with the help of global mentors from the industry.
T-Hub and AIM will help the startups gain government connections with Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM), Semiconductor Complex and GAETEC(Galium Arsenide Technology Centre) for quick compliance, certification, and testing to go to market seamlessly.
T-Hub partners like the Central Institute of Tool Design (CITD) and Qualcomm will provide startups free access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software tools for Very Large Scale Integration(VLSI) front and back-end development and evaluation platforms to design, validate, and simulate fabless designs.
Furthermore, T-Hub and AIC, along with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT -Hyderabad (Indian Institute of Technology), will help startups leverage free access to the Multi Project Wafer (MPW) shuttle. This will enable them to prototype pre-production concepts of semiconductors, verify IP, and characterise device performance with a low-cost, fast feedback loop.
Rajesh Adla, CEO of AIC T-Hub Foundation, said, “Semiconductors are more strategically and economically essential to the world than ever, and we need to significantly scale up research, innovation, design, and production facilities to support our industry’s future growth. Our program is a much-needed initiative that will play a key role in helping startups accelerate their products and solutions, elevating India’s global semiconductor market position.”
The startups will be mentored by researchers, namely Venkata Simhadri from MOSCHIP, Pradeep Vajram from AlphaICs, Muthukrishnan from SAFL (Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator Lab), Sagar Pushpala from Orcha Systems and other elite institutions like INCeNSE of The Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) for quick product architecture. Startups will also stand a chance to gain a free interface with semiconductor foundries and assembly houses to manufacture IC prototypes, test and simulate.
The startups will be provided access to T-Hub’s network of premium service providers and global investor pool, including HNIs and banks, for debt or equity financing to access capital needs and invest in the product. In addition, T-Hub will help them with government grants, funds, and incentives, like T-Fund, SISF (Startup India Seed Fund), Meity, and ISM for quick monetary gains.
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T-Hub’s programs have been successfully scaling startups in partnership with a robust ecosystem of partners. T-Hub, to date, has impacted over 2000 startups through various programs and initiatives, has over 600 global and national corporate partners and has provided 2000 mentor connects to help the startup scale.
