IESA opens India's first semiconductor fabless accelerator lab

With the lab, IESA expects to create more employment opportunities inside the ESDM sector.

The lab would be the first-of-its-kind venture inside the semiconductor space and will help accelerate the ecosystem of fabless startups.

India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), a premier Indian trade body that represents India's Electronic System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) sector, has reportedly announced that it has launched a Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator Lab (SFAL).
Reports cite, the trade body aims to create more employment opportunities inside the nation's ESDM sector by launching the SFAL. It would also encourage more domestic IP creation and would also act as a catalyst that would expedite the growth of the ecosystem of fabless startups.
According to a report by NDTV Gadgets, the IESA expects that the setting up of the laboratory would be creating more than 800 job openings for skilled engineers. Moreover, the lab would also enable production of chips on a domestic level for the local market and would also enable fabless startups to design chips for products such as LED lights, energy meters, smart cards and rural broadband as well as Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.
Reports claim, the laboratory would be the first-of-its-kind venture inside the nation's semiconductor sector. The lab would help create a robust infrastructural structure that would support and incubate startups in their early stages and would also expedite present fabless SMEs to the next level by facilitating access to funds, mentors, and the market.
The Minister for Large & Medium Scale Industries at the Government of Karnataka, KJ George stated that the Karnataka Government has already made INR 21.5 crores worth of investments and the total spending over the next 5 years is expected to reach INR 56 crores. George further added that the government envisions making Karnataka a hub for existing & upcoming Indian fabless firms.
The accelerator would be focusing upon the incubation of at least 20 fabless startups in its early-stages over the next 3 years and about 50 startups in about 5 years.

Rahul Varpe:

Rahul Varpe currently writes for Technology Magazine. A communication Engineering graduate by education, Rahul started his journey in as a freelancer writer along with regular jobs. Rahul has a prior experience in writing as well as marketing of services and products online. Apart from being an avid reader, his other hobbies include music and sketching.