New Delhi is witnessing a technological revolution as Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced rapid progress in India’s ambitious ‘Chips to Startups’ (C2S) initiative. The program aims to skill 85,000 semiconductor design engineers, bolstering the nation’s chip industry.
Launched under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), C2S focuses on talent development through hands-on training and workforce preparation. In just the first four years of its decade-long journey, remarkable strides have been made, with the government prioritizing skill enhancement in this critical sector.
Global giants like Synopsys, Cadence Design Systems, Siemens, Renesas Electronics, Ansys, and AMD have provided world-class Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools to 315 academic institutions across India. These tools offer students practical exposure to semiconductor chip design, bridging the gap between theory and industry needs.
Designed chips by students are now fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali. This end-to-end process—from design to fabrication, packaging, and testing—equips young minds with comprehensive expertise.
What started as an innovative program has evolved into the world’s largest open-access EDA initiative. Over 18.5 million hours of EDA tool usage have been logged for chip design training, engaging students from Assam to Gujarat and Jammu-Kashmir to Tamil Nadu.
Minister Vaishnaw highlighted global trends, projecting the semiconductor market to surge from $800-900 billion to nearly $2 trillion. This expansion will demand around 2 million skilled professionals worldwide, opening vast employment doors for India’s youth.
In a major boost, the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 will expand C2S to 500 institutions, strengthening talent across design, fabrication, packaging, and testing. This move positions India as a global semiconductor powerhouse, fostering innovation and self-reliance.