TDB has signed a ₹130 crore agreement with BigEndian Semiconductors under Project VeerAI to develop an indigenous AI Vision System-on-Chip.
The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based BigEndian Semiconductors.
Under the agreement, TDB will provide ₹130 crore in financial support under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. The support is being provided for Project VeerAI.
TDB Supports Indigenous AI Vision SoC
Project VeerAI has a total project cost of ₹260 crore. TDB will provide the support through Optional Convertible Debt (OCD).
The project aims to take the AI Vision System-on-Chip (SoC) from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 to TRL 9.
The SoC will be developed on a sovereign technology platform. It is designed to provide secure, intelligent and application-specific AI vision capabilities.
TDB Project Targets Secure AI Applications
The primary application of the AI Vision SoC will be secure AI chips for surveillance, including CCTV systems.
The platform is also planned for applications across several sectors, including:
- Defence
- Automotive
- Industrial
- Medical
The project aims to reduce India’s dependence on externally developed semiconductor supply chains. It will also leverage domestic VLSI design capabilities.
TDB Backs India’s Semiconductor Capabilities
Shri Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB, said the support reflects TDB’s focus on helping Indian companies develop strategic semiconductor capabilities.
He said the initiative will help convert domestic design expertise into deployable products.
Promoters of BigEndian Semiconductors said the RDI support will accelerate the development and validation of the AI Vision SoC. The support will help move the technology towards commercial readiness.
The initiative marks another step towards strengthening India’s indigenous semiconductor ecosystem and developing secure AI technologies for strategic and commercial applications.
Source: PSU Connect
