Semiconductor startup Netrasemi bags Rs 107 Cr from Zoho, Unicorn India Ventures
The startup will use the fresh funding to scale research and development, enhance manufacturing and marketing capabilities, and bring four advanced system-on-chip (SoC) variants into production.
Semiconductor startup Netrasemi has raised Rs 107 crore in a Series A funding round led by Zoho Corporation and Unicorn India Ventures.
The startup will use the fresh funding to scale research and development, enhance manufacturing and marketing capabilities, and bring four advanced system-on-chip (SoC) variants—featuring AI and video analytics—into production.
These chips are designed to meet the computing requirements of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in surveillance, industrial robotics, and smart infrastructure products.
"Supporting the growth of a strong deep-tech ecosystem in India is a key focus for Zoho, and our investment in Netrasemi reflects that ongoing effort. Developing advanced technological capabilities and expertise within the country can drive long-term progress in critical sectors, ultimately contributing to economic resilience and self-reliance,” said Shailesh Davey, Co-founder and CEO, Zoho Corporation.
The SaaS major is advancing rural development by fueling tech careers in villages and Tier II/III towns through R&D. As part of this effort, it has opened a new R&D centre in Kottarakara, Kerala, where it will collaborate with Netrasemi on joint projects.
The Kerala-based firm stated that it has completed development of two SoC products currently in the tapeout stage, targeting TSMC’s (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) 12nm technology node.
"In the new age of AI-based automation and next-generation smart devices, domain-specific optimisation is no longer a nice-to-have feature—it's a necessity. Netrasemi's efficient Domain Specific Architecture (DSA) and optimal intellectual property silicon cores enable both performance and energy efficiency needed for real-time on-device, on-premise computing at the edge,” said Jyothis Indirabhai, Co-founder and CEO, Netrasemi.
Founded in 2020 by Jyothis Indirabhai, Sreejith Varma, and Deepa Geetha, Netrasemi is an Indian semiconductor company focused on Edge AI. It designs SoCs that bring AI-driven computing capabilities directly to smart IoT devices.
It offers chips capable of performing advanced AI-based analytics directly on devices, eliminating the need to send data to servers or the cloud.
In the past 12 months, the firm has completed the development of two advanced video-enabled edge-AI chips and begun work on a specialised AI chip for CCTV cameras in the Indian market.
In addition, it also signed multiple MOUs with global partners for sample release and joint product R&D, while attracting interest from several OEMs for platform development based on Netrasemi’s SoCs.
“The global edge AI market is evolving at a rapid rate with profound transformations and driving demand for specialised energy-efficient semiconductor solutions capable of running AI workloads in real time. We believe Netrasemi has opened up new markets and will be leading the next wave of innovation in the semiconductor industry,” said Anil Joshi, Managing Partner, Unicorn India Ventures.
Netrasemi plans to double its workforce from 83 to 166 chip engineers as it expands into applications across surveillance, industrial robotics, smart home devices, smart city infrastructure, and retail.
Over the next 12-18 months, the company aims to complete production of its three SoC families and initiate R&D for next-gen ultra-high-performance chips targeting edge servers. These products are currently in the R&D and prototyping phase, with launches expected in early 2026.
Edited by Kanishk Singh