Thiruvananthapuram-based edge AI semiconductor startup Netrasemi has successfully raised ₹10 crore in a pre-Series A funding round, led by Unicorn India Ventures. The funding aims to accelerate the development of their cutting-edge machine learning (ML) system-on-chips (SoCs), Netra A2000 and Netra R1000, which promise to revolutionize Internet of Things (IoT) applications with advanced edge AI capabilities.
Anil Joshi, Managing Partner at Unicorn India Ventures, highlighted the potential of edge AI to transform industries, stating, "There are attractive opportunities in the Edge AI software market, and the AI industry has the potential to transform various sectors." He expressed confidence that the investment would help Netrasemi scale its solutions effectively.
Transforming Edge AI for IoT Devices
Founded in 2020 by Jyothis Indirabhai, Sreejith Varma, and Deepa Geetha, Netrasemi specializes in designing AI/ML-capable SoCs and reference designs to simplify and economize edge AI product development. Their solutions address over 100 use cases, including medical devices, telecom, industrial applications, and smart city technologies.
The Netra-R1000 and Netra-A2000 chips, part of Netrasemi’s SoC family, feature a proprietary Domain-Specific Architecture (DSA) and a patented graph-stream hardware acceleration architecture. These innovations enable IoT devices to perform high-speed, on-device AI-based analytics, reducing reliance on cloud computing and enhancing responsiveness, autonomy, and privacy.
Co-founder Jyothis Indirabhai emphasized the significance of their offerings, stating, "Netrasemi's family of chips will be the first AI/ML SoCs from India for intelligent edge devices, with a full array of in-house-developed digital IPs."
Achieving Milestones and Future Plans
Over the past year, Netrasemi has gained traction among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in key sectors. The company reported $0.75 million in revenue from chip design and porting services, and projects a 150% revenue growth by FY25, driven by intellectual property licensing and anticipated volume chip production by FY27.
The company aims to capitalize on the growing demand for edge AI solutions in areas such as machine vision, video surveillance, robotics, and Industry 4.0. Privacy concerns and smart city initiatives further bolster demand for Netrasemi’s solutions, which promise efficient, cost-effective, and scalable technologies.
Supporting India's Semiconductor Industry
This funding milestone highlights Netrasemi’s critical role in advancing India's edge AI ecosystem. With the backing of Unicorn India Ventures, Netrasemi is set to deliver state-of-the-art solutions that cater to diverse industry needs while positioning India as a global hub for AI-driven semiconductor innovation.
Source : Economic Times