HrdWyr Raises $13Mn to Build AI-Focused Semiconductor Chips

HrdWyr, a Bengaluru-based semiconductor start-up, has raised $13mn in a Series A funding round led by Ideaspring Capital, with participation from Singularity AMC, Avatar Growth Capital and existing investor Persistent Systems.

The company said the funding will be used to accelerate development of its AI-native System-on-Chip (AISoC) products and expand customer engagements in global markets.

Founded as a fabless semiconductor company, HrdWyr designs AI-focused chips intended for edge computing applications across sectors such as consumer electronics, electric vehicles and data centres. The company said its products are aimed at improving power efficiency and reducing latency by integrating AI capabilities directly into chip architecture.

HrdWyr recently announced a collaboration with audio and wearables brand boAt as part of its early commercial engagements in the consumer technology segment.

The company said its technology is focused on enabling “Physical AI”, where devices can process and respond to data in real time without relying heavily on cloud infrastructure. "“The real power of AI will be unlocked as we enter the era of Physical AI, where advanced intelligence seamlessly integrates with real-world systems. This inflection point demands a fundamental rethinking of how computing systems are conceived, architected, and deployed. It calls for a structural reset of the semiconductor stack, with IP and products designed for AI processing from first principles, not as an afterthought. We encapsulate these ideas under the TEA framework," said Ramamurthy Sivakumar, Founder and CEO of HrdWyr.

According to the company, its leadership team brings experience across semiconductor design, wireless systems, automotive technologies and computing, with operations spanning India, the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific markets.

"HrdWyr is building a family of AI chips addressing power management and efficiency across multiple sectors, including white goods, EVs and data centres. This is very important to Ideaspring’s thesis of building products from India for the world and also becoming self-reliant in semiconductors," noted Naganand Doraswamy, Managing Partner and Founder, Ideaspring Capital.

The funding comes amid increasing investor interest in semiconductor and AI infrastructure companies as countries and businesses look to reduce dependence on imported chip technologies and strengthen local capabilities.