DLI-approved startup Vervesemi secures $10 million to accelerate indigenous chip production as DLI Scheme-backed semiconductor startup Vervesemi Microelectronics has raised $10 million (about ₹90 crore) in a Series A funding round, marking a significant milestone for India’s design-led semiconductor ecosystem.
The funding round was led by investor Ashish Kacholia and Unicorn India Ventures, with participation from Roots Ventures, Caperize Fina and MAIQ Growth Scheme.
Vervesemi, the first company approved under the Government of India’s Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme and also supported under the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme, was founded in 2017 by industry veterans with prior experience at a global semiconductor company.
The company holds a portfolio of over 140 semiconductor IPs, 25 IC products, 10 granted patents and 5 trade secrets, and is developing chips for space, defence, industrial and smart energy applications.
Among its key products is a multi-function data acquisition avionics chip built on 55nm technology at UMC, which has been fabricated and is undergoing customer evaluation, with targeted production scheduled for Q1 2027.
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Vervesemi has also designed a BLDC controller chipset with 90 per cent indigenous bill of materials, comprising an indigenous RISC-V microprocessor-based chip, a quad gate driver chip with DC-DC functionality and a power MOSFET.
The controller chip is in fabrication, while the gate driver-MOSFET chip has been fabricated and is undergoing customer evaluation, with targeted production in Q4 2026.
Other chips include a precision motor-control chip using a RISC-V microprocessor for drones, EVs and industrial automation, targeted for production in Q3 2026, as well as energy metering and bridge application chips built on 180nm technology at TSMC.
According to statement by the ministry of electronics and IT, the newly raised capital will be deployed across three strategic priorities: accelerating commercialisation of machine learning-enhanced analog signal chain chips; supporting production readiness and silicon qualification along with expansion of engineering and applications teams; and expanding the company’s IP portfolio and R&D in next-generation precision analog architectures.
According to the ministry, the structured support under the DLI Scheme has strengthened investor confidence, leading investors to evaluate and commit capital to DLI-approved companies.
The BLDC motor controller project was awarded to Vervesemi by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on 20 March 2025.
During the award ceremony, the Minister emphasised the need for India to evolve into a product nation by developing indigenous hardware and software solutions, fostering innovation across academia and startups, and building capabilities across the technology spectrum from high-volume deployment chips to strategic platforms such as open-source RISC-V architecture.
In less than a year since the award announcement, Vervesemi’s progress in attracting investment and advancing multiple chip tape-outs reflects the advancement of India’s design-led semiconductor ecosystem, according to the ministry.
The DLI Scheme, under the Semicon India Programme, has approved 24 semiconductor design projects from domestic startups and MSMEs, supporting chip development across applications including satellite communications, drones, surveillance cameras, IoT devices, LED drivers, AI systems, telecom equipment and smart meters.
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