Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India — Ministry of Science and Technology PIB Delhi Read the original release on pib.gov.in
- TDB-DST signs MoU with BigEndian Semiconductors for RDI assistance of Rs 130 crore for manufacturing indigenous AI Vision SoC
The Technology Development Board (TDB) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has signed an agreement with M/s BigEndian Semiconductors, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, for financial assistance of Rs 130 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, strengthening the country's efforts to build indigenous semiconductor capabilities for critical and emerging applications.
The total cost of VeeraAI project is Rs 260 crore. Its objective is to take the technology from Technology Readiness Level – TRL-5 to Technology Readiness Level – TRL-9. Financial assistance will be provided through Optional Convertible Loan (OCD). The VirAI project aims to develop a camera-centric AI vision system-on-chip (SoC) on a sovereign technology platform that will meet the growing need for secure, intelligent, and application-specific semiconductor solutions.
The project focuses on the development of a secure AI chip for surveillance applications, especially CCTV systems, with the aim of reducing dependence on externally developed semiconductor and technology supply chains. The proposed platform is designed to combine AI processing and smart features with security, privacy and connectivity capabilities. This technology is initially being developed for CCTV and surveillance applications in India and developing countries (Global South). There are plans to use it in many areas. Apart from surveillance, the platform is also envisioned to be used in defence, automotive, industrial and medical sectors, creating a broader market for indigenous AI-enabled semiconductor solutions.
The project aims to leverage the country's growing VLSI design and semiconductor talent, transforming domestic design capabilities into a scalable product platform. By focusing on application-specific SoCs rather than general-purpose chips, the program aims to meet specific industry needs as well as enable rapid deployment and commercialization of the technology. The development of indigenous AI and semiconductor technologies is becoming increasingly important as connected devices and intelligent systems become increasingly integrated into critical infrastructure. Secure and application-specific chips can play an important role in meeting requirements related to data security, privacy, device-level intelligence and technology sovereignty.
In collaboration with RDI, BigEndian Semiconductors will carry out the further technology development, validation, integration, test and scale-up activities required to advance Project VirAI from TRL-5 to TRL-9.
TDB Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Pathak said, “Semiconductors are the foundation of almost every emerging technology, and developing indigenous capabilities in AI chips for specific applications is a critical part of strengthening the country's technology ecosystem. The RDI Fund provides ongoing support for technologies that require significant investment to move from advanced development to commercial deployment. The financial support given to BigEndian Semiconductors reflects TDB's goal to empower Indian companies to develop strategic semiconductor capabilities and domestically To enable the translation of design expertise into useful products.”
The promoters of BigEndian Semiconductors said, "The RDI support from TDB will enable us to accelerate the development and validation of Project VirAI and commercialize our AI Vision SoC. Our focus is on building a secure, application-specific semiconductor platform that can meet the needs of surveillance and other critical areas while leveraging India's indigenous semiconductor design capabilities. This partnership will help us advance the technology towards TRL-9 and contribute to the development of a strong domestic semiconductor ecosystem." Will help.”
This is the official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and is published without changes.
