India-based IC design startup L&T Semiconductor Technologies revealed it's developing 15 products, which will be mass-produced in two years and will start the chipmaking business once it reaches a certain threshold in sales.
L&T Semiconductor Technologies CEO Sandeep Kumar told PTI that the company is building a team for 15 products, with the full team in place within six months, adding that the first products could be launched by the end of next year. The startup is targeting a broad spectrum of semiconductor technologies, ranging from nanometer (nm) to 130nm nodes and even 2-5nm nodes used for mobile phones.
The company plans to establish its own semiconductor manufacturing units based on the specific technology and revenue threshold required for each segment. For example, a 28-nm fab requires an estimated investment of US$10 billion and annual sales of around US$1 billion to be profitable. Therefore, The company plans to establish its chip manufacturing plants once its revenue achieves the target between US$50 million to US$1 billion.
L&T Semiconductor Technologies, founded by the Indian infrastructure conglomerate L&T in November 2023, focuses on designing and developing MEMS sensors, power ICs, analog ICs, and mixed-signal and RF ICs for the automotive, industrial, energy, and telecommunications industries. The company has R&D centers in Bangalore, Delhi, and Chennai, along with product engineering and sales offices located in Austin, Munich, and Tokyo.
The startup signed an MoU with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, India's government-supported organization, to foster collaboration in developing local chip technology. In early September, the company partnered with IBM for advanced IC design, which could involve chips for edge devices and hybrid cloud systems. In an earlier Reuters report, the company disclosed that it sought to sign deals with six automakers for chip design collaboration.
In the meantime, Business Standard reports that India is set to introduce the Semiconductor Incentive Scheme 2.0. The report notes that several companies, such as Mindgrove Technologies, Saankhya Labs, WiSig Networks, and MosChip Technologies, have already received approval for their chip designs. Additionally, L&T Semiconductor Technologies expressed interest in submitting proposals as soon as the scheme becomes accessible.
