India, the hub of 20% of the world’s chip designers, has long been overshadowed in the global semiconductor market. However, recent endeavors by the Indian government indicate a shift towards establishing a formidable presence in the semiconductor sector. This surge comes in the wake of companies worldwide adopting a “China-plus-one” strategy, seeking alternatives to China. One such player making waves in this landscape is BigEndian Semiconductors, a Bengaluru-based fabless design startup.
Founded in May by CEO Sunil Kumar, a seasoned executive with experience at ARM Broadcom, and Intel, BigEndian is backed by a founding team with a wealth of expertise from chipmakers like Broadcom and Cypress Semiconductors. Kumar highlighted the synergy among the founding members, emphasizing their decision to venture into the semiconductor market after witnessing a substantial domestic demand for surveillance chips in India, driven by incentives from the government and the customers’ quest for alternatives to Chinese suppliers.
With India allocating a substantial budget of $9 billion to bolster local semiconductor and display manufacturing capabilities, the semiconductor landscape in the country is poised for significant growth. The approval of four semiconductor units by the Modi government, aimed at producing chips for various industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, EVs, industrial, and telecom, signals a strategic leap towards self-sufficiency in semiconductor production.
BigEndian’s initial focus on surveillance chips marks the beginning of a strategic partnership with Taiwanese fab company UMC, with plans to introduce a reference chip based on a 28nm node process by the first quarter of 2025. The company envisions expanding its presence in the IoT market, particularly in the realm of 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers. What sets BigEndian apart is its platform-as-a-service model, offering tailored surveillance solutions to steer clear of Chinese middleware access, a common concern in existing surveillance products.
Despite the promising prospects, funding remains a challenge for semiconductor startups in India. Kumar candidly acknowledged the constraints faced by startups in raising capital, attributing the limited seed funding raised by BigEndian to the nascent semiconductor landscape in India. The $3 million seed round led by Vertex Ventures SEA and India provides a stepping stone for BigEndian, albeit not sufficient for mass production. The strategic backing from industry leaders like Amitabh Nagpal from Amazon Web Services paves the way for securing more substantial investments in subsequent rounds.
While BigEndian’s roots lie in India, the company harbors ambitions beyond its domestic market. With plans to cater to a global audience with its surveillance chips, the startup aims to establish itself as a prominent player in the semiconductor space. By targeting middle to lower-end camera segments, BigEndian seeks to solidify its position in the market before scaling up and diversifying its product offerings.
BigEndian Semiconductors represents a beacon of hope for India’s burgeoning semiconductor industry. With a visionary leadership team, innovative solutions, and strategic partnerships, the company is poised to carve a niche for itself in the global semiconductor market. As India takes strides towards semiconductor self-reliance, startups like BigEndian serve as catalysts for innovation and growth in the semiconductor landscape, bridging the gap between domestic demand and global competition.