BigEndian Semiconductors, a fabless semiconductor design startup, has successfully raised $3 million in a funding round led by Vertex Ventures SEA & India, with contributions from various strategic investors. The funds will be allocated to broadening the company’s engineering team, enhancing research and development capabilities, and scaling operations to meet the rising demand for advanced surveillance technology both domestically and internationally.

Despite being home to 20-25% of the global semiconductor design talent, India’s semiconductor sector has historically had a limited presence in the global market. However, recent changes in the global supply chain and supportive policies aimed at fostering indigenous semiconductor design are paving the way for significant advancements in India’s semiconductor industry.

Sunil Kumar, co-founder and CEO of BigEndian, expressed enthusiasm about the investment, stating, “This funding will accelerate our mission to revolutionize the semiconductor value chain with open, secure, and collaborative technology. Alongside our SoCs, we are committed to developing a comprehensive Indian semiconductor ecosystem with both upstream and downstream innovations, which will be transformative for the industry.”

The investment will drive BigEndian’s efforts to develop semiconductors from India for a global market, including their upcoming surveillance system-on-chip (SoC) solution. This move is expected to further stimulate growth in India’s emerging semiconductor ecosystem.

Ben Mathias, managing partner at Vertex Ventures SEA & India, highlighted the strategic importance of the investment, saying, “The realignment of global electronics supply chains presents a unique opportunity for India to lead in the semiconductor sector. We are excited to support BigEndian as they develop their surveillance SoC, which aligns with the increasing demand for advanced security solutions. The founding team’s extensive experience positions BigEndian as a future leader in the global semiconductor industry.”

BigEndian’s founding team brings decades of experience in semiconductor design, having previously led teams at renowned organizations such as ARM, Intel, Broadcom, and Cypress, as well as cutting-edge startups like Beceem and Arcus.