Gujarat To Focus On Chip Design To Advance In Semiconductor Value Chain, Setting Up New Facility

Gujarat has taken a major step towards strengthening its semiconductor ecosystem by expanding focus beyond chip manufacturing to design of the tiny electronic component used in a range of products, from smartphones and cars to medical devices, officials said on Friday.

The upcoming ChipIN Extension Centre and Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Design will enable students to learn the complete chip design process and develop industry-ready skills, they said.

"Through the ChipIN Extension Centre, the government will provide access to advanced semiconductor design tools to engineering colleges across Gujarat in a phased manner," an official of the Gujarat State Electronics Mission (GSEM) told PTI.

The Gujarat government's Department of Science and Technology, through GSEM, has proposed building a ChipIN extension centre and CoE for VLSI design in collaboration with the Gujarat Technological University (GTU) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

The centre at the GTU campus will provide not only software tools, but also expert guidance, with industry professionals training students and faculty members on the complete semiconductor design workflow. Access to design tools alone is insufficient unless students understand their application in real-world chip development, the official noted.

Gujarat is aiming to build capabilities in chip design as part of its broader semiconductor vision, moving beyond its manufacturing ambitions, he said.

Chip design requires specialised Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, which are expensive and largely developed by global companies such as Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens.

Through the ChipIn Extension Centre, the government will provide phased access to these advanced design tools to engineering colleges across Gujarat, the official informed.

Students will use these platforms via cloud-based access to learn how to design various chips and circuits, including analog circuits, digital chips, phase-locked loops and other specialised components, he explained.

The ChipIN centre will help students acquire practical, industry-oriented semiconductor skills by exposing them to processes beyond conventional academic curricula, including chip design, validation, fabrication requirements and testing, he maintained.

One of the major advantages of the centre will be the opportunity for students to get their chip designs fabricated. After completing designs and pre-validation checks, students will be able to send them for fabrication through the Multi-Wafer Project (MPW) programme, the official said.

Typically, semiconductor fabrication facilities do not manufacture chips designed by educational institutions. Through this initiative, students will get an opportunity to see their software-based designs converted into physical chips, test them on actual hardware and understand the complete journey from design to fabrication, he stated.

The hands-on experience is expected to improve the employability of engineering students in Gujarat and prepare them for opportunities in the global semiconductor industry. It could also encourage the creation of semiconductor start-ups in the state.

The facility will serve as a collaborative platform connecting academic institutions, start-ups, MSMEs, research organisations and industries. Through the access to design tools, multiple engineering colleges and organisations across Gujarat will be able to participate in the initiative, said the official.

The initiative is expected to help Gujarat move higher in the global semiconductor value chain and strengthen its position as a semiconductor design hub, in addition to its emerging manufacturing capabilities.

An orientation programme for the proposed ChipIN Extension Centre and CoE for VLSI Design was organised on Friday. The two-day programme includes technical sessions on semiconductor design infrastructure, High Performance Computing (HPC), indigenous processor ecosystems, Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and chip development.

More than 30 academic institutions from across Gujarat participated are taking part in the programme, reflecting growing interest among universities and research institutions in developing semiconductor design capabilities.

The inaugural session of the programme was attended by Department of Science and Technology secretary P Bharathi, GSEM mission director Neha Kumari, IIT Gandhinagar director Dr Rajat Moona and others.