IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge asserts that SFAL-backed startups are breaking new ground and developing cutting-edge products
Karnataka’s IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge announced on Wednesday that three Bengaluru-based startups have created innovative technologies with assistance from the Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator Lab (SFAL), a State-funded center of excellence for fabless semiconductors.
Calligo Technologies has developed a POSIT-enabled semiconductor chip designed to enhance performance and precision in critical mathematical computations. POSIT technology is poised to become a new computing standard, offering better accuracy, increased network bandwidth, and improved storage utilization while reducing power consumption. The minister highlighted at a media conference that the technology is especially beneficial for applications in stock exchange computations, medical drug research, and artificial intelligence.
The company intends to unveil an accelerator card featuring this chip at the Supercomputing Conference (SC’24) in the US later this year.
Morphing Machines, another SFAL-supported fabless semiconductor company, has developed “Redefine,” a product designed to address emerging workloads in sectors such as telecom, AI/ML, healthcare, and high-performance computing. The startup has successfully raised $2.76 million (Rs 23 crore) in a seed funding round led by Speciale Invest, according to the minister. Redefine, Morphing Machines’ flagship product, is recognized as the first reconfigurable processor both in India and globally.
AB Circuits and Research Labs (ABCRL), another startup backed by SAFL, has developed TireSynapse, the industry’s first tire monitoring ASIC with built-in Bluetooth, as noted by Kharge. This compact chip introduces advanced features like tire wear prediction, road condition detection, load detection, and wheel alignment measurement, setting new benchmarks in vehicle safety and efficiency.
ABCRL is approaching a major milestone with plans to tape out their first chip shortly. This achievement would represent a significant advancement in their ambition to become a leading global provider of smart automotive electronics, the minister added.
SFAL’s focus has been on empowering fabless semiconductor startups and promoting the development of products and intellectual properties from India.
“Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are eager to replicate our SFAL model,” Kharge noted, emphasizing that Karnataka was the first to adopt it. One reason Karnataka leads in fabless semiconductor innovations is its concentration of 70% of India’s design talent. The Center of Excellence (CoE) has incubated 43 startups in specialized fields with advanced technology, supporting over 200 innovations.
The minister stated that SAFL-supported firms have raised Rs 114 crore and currently have a combined valuation of Rs 500 crore.
Kharge mentioned that within approximately a year, India’s electronics market is expected to reach $400 billion, with the semiconductor sector alone contributing $64 billion, according to industry estimates.
Jitendra Chaddah, India head of GlobalFoundries, stated in a media statement, “Many SFAL-supported companies are creating products for both global and local markets and are also securing funding from venture capitalists.”
