BigEndian Semiconductors, a fabless-semiconductor design startup based in Bengaluru, has secured $3 million in a funding round led by Vertex Ventures SEA & India. The funds will be utilized to expand the company’s engineering team, boost research and development, and scale its operations. CEO Sunil Kumar emphasized that the company aims to leverage local market opportunities, government initiatives, venture capital support, and favorable global geopolitical conditions to position itself as a competitive provider of quality semiconductor solutions globally.
Founded in 2024 by Sunil Kumar, Renuka Prasad, Harpreet Wadhawan, Dinesh Annayya, Kanagaraju Ponnusamy, and Jansen Cheng, BigEndian Semiconductors is focused on developing indigenous semiconductor IP in India. The startup plans to launch its own surveillance system-on-chip (SoC) solution and currently employs around 18 people. Kumar highlighted that the company’s goal is to create a “Make in India” chipset, fully designed and manufactured in India, with significant revenue generation expected by 2026.
BigEndian Semiconductors intends to begin operations in India, with plans to expand into the Global South and eventually into developed markets like Europe and the United States. Their initial chipsets will target the Global South, with a focus on AI inference engines and enhancing machine learning capabilities on the edge. Ben Mathias, managing partner of Vertex Ventures SEA & India, noted that the realignment of electronics supply chains presents a unique opportunity for India to emerge as a global leader in semiconductors. He added that BigEndian’s approach to developing a surveillance SoC aligns with the increasing global demand for advanced security solutions.