Netrasemi, a semiconductor startup from Kerala supported by SaaS firm Zoho, has completed testing of its A2000 AI system-on-chip and confirmed it is ready for manufacturing. The firm has started preliminary evaluations with three clients in surveillance and automotive fields, with full commercial release planned for mid-2027, according to chief executive Jyothis Indirabhai. Mass production will occur at TSMC’s facility in Taiwan during 2027. The chip was created for small, energy-efficient edge devices, and the company is collaborating with several original equipment makers on sample assessments and joint projects. Built using TSMC’s 12nm process, the A2000 is intended for smart cameras, edge AI units and video gateways. It includes multiple in-house processing components for neural networks, computer vision, image processing and security features. Netrasemi plans to provide the design to chosen partners for further work. This marks one of the early AI and machine learning chips developed in India. The startup received Rs 15 crore under the government’s Design Linked Incentive scheme in 2023 as one of four selected firms. Total funding stands at Rs 125 crore from investors including Zoho and Unicorn India Ventures. Netrasemi has also created the R1000 AI and machine learning microcontroller for IoT sensors through a partnership with College of Engineering Trivandrum under the MeitY Chip-to-Startup programme. Fabrication began last month at TSMC’s 12nm node, representing the first Indian AI chip from academic collaboration. The company is further advancing the A4000 edge AI server chip with MeitY backing, targeting fabrication readiness by the second quarter of 2027.
