Why cloud matters in chip making

INDIA'S SEMICONDUCTOR ECOSYSTEM is at a pivotal inflection point. From startups in Hyderabad and Bengaluru to global players in Noida, the convergence of policy support, entrepreneurial energy, and global demand is reshaping the landscape.

- MAHESH TURAGA

Over the past few years, India has made significant strides in semiconductor design and innovation. The government's design-linked incentive (DLI) scheme and the rise of fabless startups have created fertile ground for innovation. But as the industry accelerates, one enabler is quietly transforming the pace: Cloud for electronic design automation (EDA).

Companies like HrdWyr are scaling infrastructure for next-gen AI SoCs (system-on-a-chip), running 100% of their design and simulation workloads in the cloud. Many startups are pushing boundaries in design services, IP development, and AI compute processors. OptoML, which is building ultra-efficient edge AI chips, has been cloud-native from day one. Their designers work in a secured cloud design environment, enabling reproducible runs with rapid setup.