Synopsis : Semiconductor startup Netrasemi has raised ?107 crore in a Series A round led by Zoho Corp and Unicorn India Ventures. The Thiruvananthapuram-based firm aims to use the funds to scale R&D, enhance manufacturing, and launch AI-powered SoC chips for smart infrastructure and industrial robotics.
In a major boost to India’s deep-tech and semiconductor ecosystem, Kerala-based startup Netrasemi has raised ?107 crore in a Series A funding round, led by Zoho Corporation Ltd and Unicorn India Ventures. This is the startup’s largest-ever funding round, bringing its total capital raised to ?232 crore to date. The new capital will be used to accelerate research and development, expand manufacturing capabilities, and bring to production four advanced system-on-chip (SoC) variants focused on artificial intelligence and video analytics.
Founded in 2020 by Jyothis Indirabhai, Sreejith Varma, and Deepa Geetha, Netrasemi is at the forefront of designing domain-specific system-on-chip solutions for edge computing, particularly suited for smart infrastructure, surveillance, and industrial robotics. The company has already completed the development of two Edge-AI chips capable of real-time video processing and machine learning directly on the device—eliminating the need for cloud-based computation.
According to CEO Jyothis Indirabhai, Netrasemi’s proprietary energy-efficient neural processing units (NPUs) and in-house silicon IP cores enable these chips to deliver powerful on-device computing while remaining cost-effective and power-conscious. The chips are designed to optimize workloads in real time, offering edge devices enhanced intelligence and independence from internet latency or server loads. The company is also working on a CCTV AI camera chip tailored to the Indian market and has signed multiple MOUs with global OEMs for development and testing.
The partnership with Zoho is not just financial. Netrasemi’s founders believe Zoho’s strategic R&D collaboration and domain knowledge will open up new industry verticals and product segments. Zoho’s co-founder Shailesh Davey affirmed the alignment of their vision, stating the investment reinforces their commitment to India’s deep-tech ecosystem, and will support indigenous innovation in AI, robotics, and edge processing.
Netrasemi is also backed by TrEST Research Park, IIM-K, and Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), all of which have supported its early growth journey. The startup is targeting full mask production of all three SoC families over the next 12–18 months, alongside initiating R&D on a next-generation ultra-high-performance SoC, which could serve edge servers and smart NVR compute platforms.
With the growing need for real-time, on-device intelligence in smart cities and industrial automation, Netrasemi’s chips are poised to play a critical role in powering the next wave of connected devices and self-reliant Indian innovation.
Disclaimer : This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or investment advice. Readers are advised to consult professional advisors before making investment decisions.
