SFAL signs seven MoUs to boost India’s semiconductor ecosystem
SFAL signs seven MoUs at SEMICON India 2026 to connect startups with semiconductor research, design, manufacturing and investment.
India’s semiconductor push is bringing startups, researchers, manufacturers and technology providers closer together.
Semiconductor Future Accelerator Lab (SFAL), a K-Tech Centre of Excellence for Fabless Semiconductors, has signed seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with organisations across India’s semiconductor and deep-tech ecosystem at SEMICON India 2026 in New Delhi.
The partnerships cover semiconductor research and design, manufacturing, electronic design automation (EDA), talent development, investment, technology commercialisation and startup support.
SFAL has partnered with IISc Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), FourFront Ltd. (FFL), PeachTree Elevate, Aarayaa Advisory Services, Kaynes Semicon, WOWSEMI Foundation and Silvaco Inc.
The MoUs were exchanged in the presence of Karnataka Commerce and Industries Minister MB Patil, Karnataka Minister for Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance Priyank Kharge, and members of the SFAL Board.
Connecting design with manufacturing
The partnerships with Kaynes Semicon, FourFront and Silvaco focus on helping startups move semiconductor technologies closer to industry applications.
Kaynes Semicon will bring manufacturing expertise and industry experience, giving startups greater exposure to production requirements and helping them prepare technologies for validation and commercialisation.
FourFront will work with SFAL on India's automotive electronics and semiconductor ecosystem, including areas such as advanced power electronics, electric vehicle architectures and electromagnetic interference suppression systems.
Silvaco will bring its expertise in semiconductor design and EDA, giving startups opportunities to access relevant design tools, technical knowledge and industry perspectives.
Together, these collaborations are intended to connect semiconductor design and validation with manufacturing and market requirements.
Building research and talent
SFAL's partnership with IISc CeNSE will connect startups and emerging professionals with research expertise in nanoscience, nanoelectronics and semiconductor technologies. The collaboration is also expected to help bridge academic research and industry-led product development.
WOWSEMI Foundation, a Section 8 non-profit focused on semiconductor skills and ecosystem initiatives, will support community engagement, knowledge sharing and talent-focused programmes.
PeachTree Elevate will contribute startup mentoring, capability building and business guidance, while also supporting engineering talent preparing for high-technology domains.
The investment side of the ecosystem will be addressed through SFAL's partnership with Aarayaa Advisory Services. The collaboration will help semiconductor startups with areas including fundraising, financial planning, investor engagement and business development.
Building a connected semiconductor pipeline
The seven partnerships are aligned with the broader objectives of the India Semiconductor Mission to develop domestic capabilities, encourage investment and innovation, and build the talent and infrastructure needed for the sector.
Priyank Kharge said Karnataka's semiconductor ecosystem has been built around its talent, innovation and collaboration between government and industry.
“As India builds deeper capabilities across the semiconductor value chain, partnerships such as these are critical to connecting startups with research, technology, manufacturing, talent, investment and global markets,” he said.
He added that SFAL 2.0 would focus on helping ideas move from research and design through validation, manufacturing and commercialisation.
With the new collaborations, SFAL is bringing together capabilities that typically sit across different parts of the semiconductor value chain, from research and chip design to manufacturing, funding and market access.
The aim is to give emerging companies a more connected path from developing a technology to validating, commercialising and scaling it.