IIT-Madras startup Mindgrove launches first India-made microcontroller chip
IIT-Madras startup Mindgrove launches first India-made microcontroller chip
India is finally set to have a made-in-India microcontroller chip powering electronic devices. Mindgrove Technologies, incubated by IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation and IIT Madras Incubation Cell, and supported by Peak XV Partners, has launched Secure IoT, India’s debut high-performance SoC (system on chip).
A system-on-chip (SoC) combines many electronic parts into one chip, like a mini-computer. It goes into the printed circuit board (PCB) and is used in various devices, making them smaller and more efficient.
With Secure IoT, Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can integrate an Indian SoC into their products and help reduce the cost of their feature-rich devices, without compromising on high-end features.
The new, indigenous chip comes at a 30 percent lower cost than other chips in a similar segment and is the only Indian chip commercially available in this segment.
COST-EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT
Running at 700 MHz, Secure IoT emerges as India’s premier high-performance microcontroller chip, offering versatility, adaptability, and top-notch security features.
This RISC-V-based chip addresses the market demand for budget-friendly yet high-performing chips, bridging the gap between premium and budget options in the embedded systems realm.
“The pandemic revealed the wide gap between high-end and low-end players in the embedded systems space, with the latter prioritising cost and volume over the chip’s actual performance,” says Shashwath TR, CEO and C0-Founder of Mindgrove Technologies.
“Thus, we set out to design chips that target the middle market,” he adds, stressing the importance of tailoring chips for that are adaptable, secure, and cost-effective.
Shashwath also highlighted the potential to replace millions of chips in India, anticipating global interest in this new Indian option and boosting self-sufficiency in the semiconductor sector.
Mindgrove’s chip offers programmability, flexibility, security, and high computing power for managing various smart devices from wearables like smartwatches to smart city devices like connected electricity, water, and gas meters to connected home devices like smart locks, fans, speakers, as well as, as well as EV battery management systems and control systems, amongst others.
Founded by Shashwath TR and Sharan Srinivas J, Mindgrove aims to deliver power-efficient and cost-effective solutions for IoT, vision, automobiles, and more. The company also offers design support to Indian brands, fostering innovation and local production.
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