Qualcomm partners with C-DAC to support semiconductor startups

Chipmaker Qualcomm India will collaborate with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's (MeitY) Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

Under this collaboration, C-DAC and Qualcomm India plan to work towards supporting technical advancements and intellectual-property-driven innovation and product development required for semiconductor design in the Indian ecosystem, as a part of the government and the industry's ongoing efforts to encourage innovation in the semiconductor space in India.

The collaboration will also help in reducing risks in innovation; accelerating the pace of business development; and developing soft skills and knowledge base of Indian start-ups engaged in semiconductor design.

E. Magesh, Director-General C-DAC, said, “The semiconductor industry is crucial for the growth of many other industries. We encourage Indian startups to come forward and meet the current and projected domestic demand for semiconductors with the support of Government-led programmes such as Make in India' and the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme.”

Qualcomm India plans to initiate and conduct the Qualcomm Semiconductor Mentorship Program (QSMP) 2022 for select start-ups from the semiconductor space in India, where it will provide and facilitate mentorship, technical training, and industry outreach. C-DAC and Qualcomm India will facilitate exposure for these start-ups to government stakeholders through meetings, webinars, seminars, or trade shows.

For 2022, Qualcomm India will shortlist up to 10 Indian semiconductor start-ups for QSMP 2022, each of which will be paired with a Qualcomm India leader for mentorship on product planning and development. Qualcomm India will also facilitate ‘Masterclass’ workshops for the shortlisted start-ups on semiconductor design aspects, such as design, testing, and verification packaging, as well as on non-technical topics such as pitches, IPR, marketing, government incentives/opportunities, and scaling up teams.

Rajen Vagadia, VP and President of Qualcomm India & SAARC, said, “There is a huge opportunity for Indian semiconductor startups due to the incentives provided by the Government. Qualcomm India is committed to helping semiconductor design startups capitalise on India's design and engineering talent to drive innovations that will power the intelligent, connected future we foresee, not only for India but the world.”