Mindgrove Technologies, a Chennai-based chip design company, is on a mission to redefine India’s role in the global semiconductor ecosystem. Founded with a vision to leverage the potential of RISC-V processors, Mindgrove is among the very few Indian startups building a fabless semiconductor design company that competes with global firms in innovation and affordability.
In this story, we take a closer look at Mindgrove Technologies’ journey, vision, breakthrough innovations, and impact on India’s semiconductor landscape.
The Big Picture: Why Semiconductors Matter
Semiconductors are the foundation of modern technology. From smartphones and automotive electronics to cloud servers and IoT devices, chips power every digital function in our lives. The pandemic-induced global chip shortage demonstrated how essential fabs, chip design and autonomous innovation really are to economic resilience.
India, which has long been an outsourcing hub for electronics and IT, recently unveiled ambitious semiconductor missions. But there are very few actual chips design startups. This is where indigenous startup Mindgrove Technologies has emerged as a homegrown innovator, with a mission to provide foundation-level solutions which would minimize foreign technology dependence.
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Founding of Mindgrove Technologies
Mindgrove Technologies was co-founded in Chennai by IIT Madras alumni and semiconductor professionals who understood one critical gap: India needed its own ecosystem of chip IP, processors, and low-cost design capability.
With the backing of IITM Research Park and collaborations with academia, Mindgrove set out to become the first RISC-V startup from India to build processors for mass adoption. Unlike software startups that pivot quickly, building semiconductors takes patience, capital, and world-class technical expertise.
The Vision: Democratizing Chip Design
At its core, Mindgrove’s philosophy revolves around RISC-V, an open-source processor architecture. Unlike proprietary models dominated by ARM or Intel, RISC-V is a free, open-source instruction set. This enables startups and nations to build customized chips without expensive licensing fees.
“By embracing open-source RISC-V architecture, Mindgrove is proving that world-class chip innovation doesn’t have to come from Silicon Valley—it can start in Chennai.”
— Co-founder, Mindgrove Technologies
Mindgrove Technologies envisions transforming India’s semiconductor landscape with a twofold mission:Â
To make chips more affordable by cutting down design overhead costs andÂ
To create robust indigenous intellectual property (IP) that strengthens India’s technological self-reliance.Â
By leveraging open-source RISC-V architecture and advanced design expertise, the startup seeks to deliver cost-efficient processors tailored for diverse industries. Beyond affordability, its focus on building original IP positions India not just as a consumer but as a global exporter of semiconductor innovation. This vision aligns with the broader goal of making India a key player in the global chip economy.
By focusing on custom RISC-V processors, Mindgrove aims to empower industries from IoT to industrial automation with locally designed, energy-efficient, cost-effective processors.
Breakthrough Innovations
Mindgrove’s flagship achievement is the development of RISC-V based processor IP cores tailored for Indian and emerging market industries. Key innovations include:
- Customizable chip design — enabling specific optimizations for customer use-cases (e.g., automotive, or smart devices).
- Low power consumption — energy-efficient processors crucial for edge devices.
- Cost efficiency — elimination of foreign licensing costs, making Indian chips globally competitive.
By developing its own semiconductor IP, Mindgrove sidesteps the global bottlenecks and puts India on the path of self-reliant chip technology.
Strategic Collaborations and Growth
Mindgrove has collaborated with IIT Madras and the RISE group for RISC-V development. It has also received attention from India’s Semicon Mission, which supports startups innovating in chip design.
These collaborations provide Mindgrove Technologies with access to world-class research expertise and cutting-edge labs, enabling faster innovation and stronger product development. They also present an opportunity to partner with government-led initiatives driving India’s semiconductor self-reliance mission. Most importantly, they lay the foundation for wider industry adoption of open-source processor architecture, positioning Mindgrove as a key enabler in building an indigenous and future-ready semiconductor ecosystem in India.
Positioning in the Market
The semiconductor industry is highly competitive, dominated by giants like Intel, Qualcomm, and ARM. Unlike them, Mindgrove is taking a niche-first approach, focusing on IoT, embedded systems, and cost-sensitive use cases where affordability is critical.
This market focus allows Mindgrove to differentiate. Instead of going direct sale with global mega-brands, it builds relevance in areas where Indian companies demand efficient yet affordable low-cost chips.
India’s Semiconductor Moment and Mindgrove’s Role
With the Indian government allocating $10 billion for semiconductor manufacturing, there is a massive push to localize crucial chip components. While fabs take years to build, chip design startups like Mindgrove can scale faster and make an immediate impact.
Mindgrove is strategically positioned to:
- Serve as a design house for global fabs.
- Supply custom processor IP for Indian manufacturers.
- Inspire a wave of local startups to enter deep-tech, beyond software.
The Challenges Ahead
Building chips is far more complex than launching a software app, as it requires significant capital, years of R&D, and deep technical expertise. For Mindgrove, one of the biggest challenge is the capital intensity, since semiconductor innovation demands long-term funding without immediate returns. Unlike the abundant pool of software engineers, India faces a talent shortage in specialized chip design, making it harder for startups to scale quickly.
Another challenge lies in the ecosystem gap, with limited access to fabs, hardware manufacturers, and validation labs within the country. Despite these hurdles, Mindgrove’s progress signals a breakthrough for India’s deep-tech ecosystem. Its progress demonstrate that Indian startups can tackle frontier technologies, once thought reserved only for global giants, and carve a place for the nation in the competitive semiconductor landscape.
The Founders’ Story and Inspiration
The founders of Mindgrove were inspired by a simple yet powerful idea: Why should India continue to import core technology when it has some of the world’s brightest engineers?
With their experience in embedded systems, chip design, and processor development at IIT Madras, they decided to turn academic research into a viable commercial product. This journey reflects the broader aim of India’s research-to-market push – especially in deep tech startups.
Future Roadmap for Mindgrove Technologies
Mindgrove Technologies has ambitious plans:
Mindgrove Technologies is setting out on a bold roadmap with plans to release scalable processor IPs tailored for IoT devices, automotive electronics, and smart appliances. By focusing on affordability and performance, the startup aims to empower industries that are increasingly reliant on efficient semiconductor solutions. This strategy makes Mindgrove as a frontrunner in India’s growing deep-tech ecosystem.
To strengthen its impact, the company is working to expand global partnerships, enabling licensing of its RISC-V chip designs to manufacturers worldwide. Such collaborations not only accelerate adoption but also place India firmly on the global semiconductor map. Through these strategic moves, Mindgrove is creating bridges between Indian innovation and international markets.
At the same time, Mindgrove has its sights set on creating a semiconductor design hub in Chennai, which will attract top engineering talent and inspire next generation innovators. By actively contributing to the open-source RISC-V ecosystem, the company champions inclusivity and global adoption. Their vision is bold and inspiring one to make India a global powerhouse in processor IP exports, just as it has excelled in software.
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Industry Reactions and Expert Opinions
Industry experts believe Mindgrove Technologies is well-positioned as global interest in RISC-V grows rapidly. With companies worldwide seeking alternatives to ARM, Indian startups like Mindgrove enjoy a crucial first-mover advantage in developing affordable low-cost, open-source processor IP for emerging markets.
From a national perspective, Mindgrove’s efforts carries strategic value. By creating domestic processor IP, India reduces its reliance on foreign semiconductor monopolies and strengthens its digital sovereignty, a priority as technology increasingly becomes core to economic security and independence.Â
At the global level, the timing is perfect. Nations such as Europe and the United States are also exploring RISC-V architecture, paving the way for collaborations beyond borders. This positions Mindgrove not just as an Indian startup but as a potential global contributor in the open-source semiconductor ecosystem.
“Mindgrove Technologies isn’t just designing chips—it’s designing India’s future in semiconductors, where affordability meets innovation and self-reliance powers global competitiveness.”
Why Mindgrove Matters: The Bigger Impact
Mindgrove Technologies is not just another startup—it represents:
Mindgrove Technologies is not just another startup—it symbolizes India’s long-awaited leap from being a software-first economy to embracing hardware innovation. It opens doors for young engineers to step into frontier industries like semiconductor design, an area where India has often lagged despite its massive talent pool. By innovating with RISC-V processors, the company puts India on the global semiconductor map.
More significantly, Mindgrove aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, building self-reliance in critical digital infrastructure. If successful, it could play the same transformative role in chips that Infosys once did in software—becoming a pioneer that inspires the next generation of deep-tech entrepreneurs and drives an entire industry forward.
Conclusion
Mindgrove Technologies is a beacon of Indian innovation in one of the toughest industries—semiconductors. By championing RISC-V processors, they are democratizing access to chip design while addressing the pressing need for affordable, indigenous solutions.
As India transitions from being a technology consumer to a technology creator, startups like Mindgrove Technologies will define the new era of innovations. Their story is not just about chips; it is about self-reliance, innovation, and global competitiveness.
With its deep-tech roots, visionary founders, and clear roadmap, Mindgrove Technologies is stand to become a trailblazer in India’s semiconductor revolution.
 FAQs:
Q1: What is Mindgrove Technologies?
A: Mindgrove Technologies is an Indian semiconductor design startup based in Chennai. It specializes in developing RISC-V based processor IP cores, making chip design more affordable and accessible.
Q2. Who are the founders of Mindgrove Technologies?
A: The company was founded by IIT Madras alumni and semiconductor researchers who leveraged academic expertise into building a commercial deep-tech venture.
Q3: Why is RISC-V important for Mindgrove?
A: RISC-V is an open-source instruction set architecture that allows chip designers to build processors without paying high licensing fees to companies like ARM. Mindgrove uses RISC-V to create cost-efficient, customizable chips for industries such as IoT, automotive, and consumer electronics.
Q4: What industries can benefit from Mindgrove’s processors?
A: Mindgrove Technologies is targeting:
- IoT devices and consumer electronics
- Automotive electronics
- Smart appliances
- Industrial automation
- Edge computing solutions
Q5: How does Mindgrove support India’s semiconductor mission?
A: By building indigenous processor IP, Mindgrove aligns with India’s push for self-reliance in semiconductors. It bridges the gap between government-led manufacturing initiatives and the demand for local chip design innovation.
Q6: Where is Mindgrove Technologies based?
A:Mindgrove is headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, operating with close ties to IIT Madras and the IITM Research Park.
Q7: What is the future roadmap for Mindgrove Technologies?
A: The company aims to:
- Expand its processor IP portfolio
- Collaborate with fabs globally for chip manufacturing
- Build a semiconductor design hub in Chennai
- Contribute to the global RISC-V ecosystem
