Startups to Lead Global Patent Landscape in Semiconductor Industry
India is becoming a major player in the global semiconductor business very quickly. This industry is seeing significant expansion due to government incentives and the growing demand for semiconductor solutions. However, Taiwan, a tiny East Asian country whose diplomatic status is in dispute with China, is without a doubt the industry leader when it comes to producing raw semiconductors. Not only in manufacturing but also in semiconductor technology and patents, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) Limited holds the maximum number of patents in the world. With 4,793 patents filed in 2021–2022, or 7% of all patents globally, semiconductor behemoth (TSMC) Limited was the largest individual patent filer.
To promote innovation, patents filing, and manufacturing in the semiconductor sector, India is taking many initiatives. There are so many incentives, and incubation programs are going on. For example, to find the top 10 most promising startups, NXP Semiconductors and FabCi launched an incubation program recently. This program is designed to support, mentor, and establish semiconductor and IP design firms. This program entails providing incubation and acceleration for selected semiconductor startups.
AIC T-Hub launches a new batch of semiconductor startups. The AIC T-Hub Foundation has chosen entrepreneurs for semiconductor cohort 2, a six-month program focused on chip-level innovation for telecom, IoT, AI, and automotive. A series of events, including group sessions, mentor meetings, investor demo days, and market access mixers, are provided for the businesses that match the program's selection criteria, which include product innovation, patent strength, technological development, and the founding team's experience. The entrepreneurs will also benefit from access to T-Works prototyping labs, MPW (Multi-Project Wafer) assistance, EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools, and chances to network with possible investors and clients.
According to a recent T-Hub press release that included the names of eight firms, the new semiconductor cohort will support ten startups over the course of six months, thus enhancing India's technical scene. The program seeks to develop and expand promising semiconductor businesses to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the industry. It is a collaboration between NITI Aayog, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), and the technology startup incubator.
Semiconductor’s history will amaze you.
If we go through history, startups were always at the forefront of the semiconductor sector and laid the foundation of today’s technology-driven world. Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce established Intel Corporation in 1968 in a modest Mountain View, California, office. The Intel 4004 was the company's first microprocessor, introduced in 1971. The 8008 and 8080 were produced in 1972 and 1974, respectively. The Intel 8080 was utilized in the earliest video game consoles and personal computers. Ten years after its founding, in 1978, Intel introduced the Intel 8086, the CPU that powered the IBM PC, the world's first mass-market computer. Once the PC entered our homes and later our offices, the world never looked the same.
In Cambridge, England, a tiny computer lab served as the foundation for ARM Holdings. ARM was established in 1990 as a joint venture by Apple Inc., VLSI Technologies, and Acorn Computers with the goal of producing processors for Acorn's personal computers. Their little chip was very helpful for mobile devices because it was energy efficient. Nokia introduced the "Nokia 6110," an ARM-equipped GSM phone, in 1998. The phone was the first to include "Snake" in a mobile game, and it also popularized the use of mobile phones in general. ARM processors now power 99% of smartphones.
The history of NVIDIA is comparable; it began as a tiny semiconductor firm in 1993. The three founders, Curtis Priem, Chris Malachowsky, and Jensen Huang, intended to create processors that would allow for realistic computer graphics. 1999 saw the debut of the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), following years of study. Not only did the GPU revolutionize gaming, but it also made machine learning and intricate simulations possible. The amazing chips that NVIDIA has introduced to the market over the past ten years have contributed to the advancement of AI.
In that order, Intel, ARM, and NVIDIA made the PC, mobile, and AI revolutions possible. What do these revolutionary semiconductor businesses have in common? Everybody was once a little startup with lofty goals.
Facilitating the ecosystem
Starting a new business in the semiconductor sector is particularly costly due to the high expenses of manufacturing and prototyping, specialized software, and staff. Then there's the problem of finding qualified, high-caliber talent. Finally, there is a big risk because items in this market are only lucrative on a scale, meaning tens of millions of units.
Indian government is supporting at every stage.
Only in the presence of a supportive ecology can these kinds of obstacles be surmounted. Thankfully, the Indian government is supporting the semiconductor sector with PLI, DLI, and other initiatives. To support researchers in launching their own businesses, innovation centers and incubators have been established adjacent to academic institutions. For instance, several semiconductor firms have been nurtured at the IITM Pravartak, a Technology Innovation Hub within the IIT Madras Research Park.
Investors provide the funds needed to develop and promote items since they are also in line with the potential in the industry. In addition, a strong talent ecosystem has grown up alongside the computer science departments of prominent universities like IISc, IIT Madras, and IIT Delhi.
New Developments in Semiconductors
Indian semiconductor entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to influence our digital future, but what problems can they solve? We found three main areas:
The number of linked gadgets has skyrocketed in the past ten years. A few of these gadgets are commonplace; these include sound boxes, smartwatches, CCTV cameras, fingerprint scanners, and more. Other gadgets are catching up, such as smart lights, smart meters, and connected appliances. Different types of chips are needed for each of these devices. The best chips for a GPS pet tracker are not the same as the best chips for smart fans. Additionally, semiconductor manufacturers are facing an increasing number of demands as consumers adopt more devices.
The government's top goal is to reduce India's dependency on imported semiconductors. The Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, provided figures to the Rajya Sabha indicating that the overall imports of semiconductor chips increased from Rs 67,497 crore in 2020–21 to Rs 129,703 crore in 2022–23. The semiconductor business has always been international, allowing people, ideas, and goods to flow freely across national borders. Reducing their dependence on the worldwide supply chain presents a novel challenge.
Finally, fasterand more powerful chips are now required by the world due to recent advancements in AI technology. Simultaneously, the rate at which we were able to pack silicon with transistors has come to a complete standstill. Therefore, semiconductor manufacturers need to come up with novel ideas for improving semiconductors. This holds true for all kinds of processors, including IoT chips and chips that run cloud AI servers. For instance, in order for four CCTV cameras to be installed on a traffic light to determine whether or not passing cars are stolen locally without requiring a connection to the cloud, a more recent set of chips would be needed.
Startups in the semiconductor industry have greatly influenced the course of history. As we head toward our AI-driven, IoT-enabled future, new requirements for chip design are emerging. Even though the odds are stacked against them, semiconductor firms are seizing these chances and are currently in "build mode." Thankfully, the ecosystem has been supportive, and the government is taking on a helping role. Einfolge specialized in Patent and Market research services across cutting-edge sectors like Semiconductor, AI, IoT, and electric vehicles; we're committed to protecting your groundbreaking ideas. Our comprehensive offerings include complete patent searches and filing support, ensuring that your innovations are secure in a fiercely competitive landscape.