NXP India, one of the biggest R&D centres for NXP and a world leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, in collaboration with Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI) at IIT Hyderabad (IITH), Startup India and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), proudly announces Smartkosh Technologies, Droame LLP, FermionIC Design, Smartway Electronics and Pramatra Space Technology as the winners for the Season-2 of the Semiconductor Startup Incubation and Acceleration Program. Mokkomotto won the Special Jury Award for their innovative product solution.

The Top 5 winners will get a Cash reward of INR 1 lakhs and the Special Jury award winner will have access to program benefits. Winners will also have EDA tools and MPW access, mentoring access during the design and development phase, selective-based IP access for processor or interconnect aspects, Foundry/Packaging access, characterization lab access, and demo day visibility with NXP. Furthermore, the top 5 promising start-ups will be incubated for a period of two years in each cohort every year and will be given invaluable experience and opportunity to showcase their products to investors and the business community.

The primary objective of the program is to identify, nurture, and mentor emerging semiconductor and IP design startups across India. It also focuses on creating IP Design and SoC Design semiconductor startups, recognizing their potential to add significant value to the Semiconductor and ESDM value chain. This segment is crucial for strengthening the core technology-driven system pillar of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India vision.

"India boasts one of the world's largest and most dynamic startup ecosystems, where innovative minds harness cutting-edge technologies to shape groundbreaking ideas, products, and services. At NXP Semiconductors, we are committed to transcend boundaries and foster disruptive innovations to boost the startup ecosystem in the semiconductor industry. The impressive response to Season 2 reflects the entrepreneurial spirit propelling our nation forward where startups thrive, and India shines as a global innovation hub," says Mr Hitesh Garg, Vice President and India Managing Director, NXP India.

Congratulating the winners, Prof B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, said, "NXP India's Semiconductor Startup Incubation and Acceleration Program, in partnership with IITH, celebrates the success of these future leaders of drive India’s semiconductor mission. IITH takes a leadership role in semiconductor research and resource development with India's 1st BTech in IC Design and MTech in Integrated Circuits and Microsystems Packaging. FABCI, as a trailblazing centre of excellence, propels semiconductor manufacturing innovation.

With 117 applicants participating this year, season 2 witnessed an overall 125% growth in the applications compared to last season. This year's surge in applications highlights the growing interest and recognition of the program's significance in fostering hardware design and manufacturing, which is essential for Atmanirbhar Bharat. A rigorous evaluation process by NXP experts across 10 panels led to the selection of the top 10 startups, showcasing the impressive diversity and innovation prevalent in the semiconductor ecosystem.

The other finalists are:

· Biba Electronics Private Limited: Manufacturer and distributor of LCD displays and Touch Panels.

· SMPS Electric Control Private Limited: Developing Microcontrollers for Power Electronics, IoT & Telecom.

· Mokkomotto (OPC) Private Limited: Ultracompact and Highly Efficient Smart EV Chargers.

· Voltere Power Solutions Private Limited: EV Charging solutions.

· Droame LLP: Building highly efficient drones that consume 54% less battery power, with increased flight time and range.

· FermionIC Design Pvt Ltd: Fabless semiconductor in PMIC, Mixed Signal, and RF IC.

· Smartway Electronics Private Limited: Pulse Oximeter integrated with IR Thermometer.

· Bendra Aerospace Private Limited: Leading Space & Defence electronics manufacturing company.

· Smartkosh Technologies Private Limited: Next Generation Battery Management System.

· Pramatra Space Technology Private Limited: Generate and Distribute Ultra Secure Quantum Encryption Keys.