Zepto Logic Signs ₹250-Crore Pact in Tamil Nadu for Fabless Chip Design & VLSI Skilling

Zepto Logic Technologies, a homegrown semiconductor startup, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth ₹250 crore (approximately Rs 2.5 billion) with the Tamil Nadu government to establish a fabless chip design house and a VLSI skilling centre in the state. This initiative is aimed at fostering indigenous semiconductor design capabilities and developing talent skilled in very large-scale integration (VLSI) and embedded systems technologies.

Focus Areas of the Fabless Design House

The new fabless chip design centre will concentrate on the development of advanced semiconductor technologies including:

• System-on-Chips (SoCs)
• Intellectual Property (IP) cores for chip design
• Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs)
• Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)

Zepto Logic’s core design services will be supported by its associate company, Caliber Embedded Technologies based in Coimbatore. The startup plans to gradually nurture an ecosystem for domestic chip design, IP development, semiconductor research and downstream manufacturing within Tamil Nadu and beyond.

Building India's Semiconductor Ecosystem

This MoU also includes establishing a long-term semiconductor innovation and training campus to accelerate research, development, and skill-building in the semiconductor domain. Zepto Logic has a proven track record of contributing to India’s indigenous processor ecosystem through IP development aligned with initiatives such as the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing’s (CDAC) Vega and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras’ (IIT-Madras) Shakti RISC-V programmes.

The startup specializes in full-stack VLSI design services, covering everything from architecture to GDSII (the final layout format for chip fabrication). It is building a portfolio of reusable IP blocks including connectivity interfaces, memory subsystems, analog and mixed-signal components, and AI accelerators, which are critical for modern chip design.

Strategic Importance Amid India's Semiconductor Push

The deal with Tamil Nadu comes at a time when India is making significant strides to become a key player in the global semiconductor value chain. Multiple projects across Indian states focus on fabs, advanced packaging, and chip design innovation. Tamil Nadu is emerging as a hub for chip design startups and ecosystem development, complementing manufacturing and assembly initiatives elsewhere in the country.

Semiconductor and technology firms are increasingly developing chips tailored for specific applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) workloads in data centers and 4G/5G base stations. Zepto Logic’s focus on ASICs and SoCs fits well with this trend, and its collaboration with government and academia is expected to boost self-reliance in semiconductor technology.

About Zepto Logic

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Coimbatore, Zepto Logic Technologies is a semiconductor design startup specializing in VLSI design and IP development. The company leverages advances in quantum and nano technologies to innovate in areas such as quantum-aware architectures and hardware-rooted security. Their R&D also explores integration of quantum sensing with classical chips for enhanced capabilities.

Zepto Logic continues to expand its portfolio of IP cores, including:

• Floating point multipliers and dividers
• Connectivity IP such as UART, SPI, and I2C
• AI and machine learning accelerators

The company is led by co-founder Suresh Kuppuswamy and is actively contributing to India's semiconductor ambitions by providing both technology and skill development.

Written by Deepak Periyasamy.

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