Building India’s Analog Semiconductor Future: A Conversation with Vervesemi’s Founders

As India accelerates its semiconductor ambitions, homegrown design innovation is beginning to take center stage. At the forefront of this movement is Vervesemi, a fabless semiconductor company focused on analog and mixed-signal IC technologies. In this exclusive interaction, Semiconductor For You speaks with Pratap Narayan Singh, Founder Director, and Rakesh Malik, Co-founder & CEO, Vervesemi, about their entrepreneurial journey, technology differentiation, and vision for a globally respected Indian semiconductor company.

What inspired you to found Vervesemi, and how has your entrepreneurial journey evolved so far?

Having worked globally and invented over 30 patents, I had a dream of creating something for India. I envisioned an Indian company renowned for its technology on a global scale, which is the inspiration behind Vervesemi. This journey has been an exhilarating rollercoaster, filled with valuable learning and experience as I embarked on the challenging task of creating something from scratch and scaling it.

How would you define Vervesemi’s core vision and differentiation in the analog and mixed-signal IC space?

At Vervesemi, we are always eager to go the extra mile to support our customers and create value for all stakeholders. As a mixed-signal IC-focused fabless semiconductor company, Vervesemi boasts multiple intellectual technologies that distinguish us from the competition. Our vision has always been to establish ourselves as a highly respected semiconductor company in the mixed signal semiconductor market.

What are Vervesemi’s key product offerings today, and which applications are driving the most traction?

Vervesemi has developed a diverse range of products catering to the industrial, automotive, defense, and space markets. The company boasts a vast portfolio of analog mixed signal IP (Intellectual Property) powered by its proprietary machine learning technology, which sets it apart from competitors. Currently, our focus is on motor control, avionics, and smart energy metering applications, which are gaining significant traction among customers. In the analog IP space, very high-speed signal chains are the most sought-after products.

How does machine learning integration in analog signal chains improve system performance and reliability?

Our machine learning technology has undergone significant evolution over the past eight years, fueled by an unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable. This technology empowers us to implement fail-safe features, enhance foundry yield, and surpass the limitations of conventional methods in terms of performance and outcomes. Notably, our machine learning system stands out for its exceptional efficiency, operating seamlessly without any additional overhead.

Could you highlight some of Vervesemi’s major achievements, including DLI recognition and key customer wins?

Vervesemi, a pureplay analog IP provider in India, licenses its intellectual property (IP) to customers worldwide and has consistently been profitable. We are Samsung Advanced Foundry’s ecosystem partner and part of UMC’s IP alliance. Notably, we were the first company recognized by the Indian government for design linked incentive (DLI) and awarded the C2S project. Vervesemi has a growing presence in the global analog mixed signal IP space and is developing India’s first motor controllers ICs. Many of our customers leading fabless semiconductor suppliers across the world.

How are your R&D and design teams structured, and what role do in-house IP and patents play in innovation?

At Vervesemi, we have a unique team structure where individuals are trained to perform cross-functional roles. With a substantial pool of internal IPs and patents, our team is capable of constructing one of the most intricate designs in a single spin. We strongly believe that knowledge must flow freely, and we encourage everyone to share their work and support each other in achieving their goals.

What recent product innovations best reflect Vervesemi’s focus on “Made-in-India” semiconductor design?

At Vervesemi, we are constructing highly integrated and competitive motor drivers and controllers. These products are benchmarked against the best ICs available in the market due to our innovative signal chain and digital signal processing IPs. Furthermore, we are developing highly sophisticated aviation controllers that are the first of their kind designed in India. We are immensely proud of this technology, which boasts almost 8x more performance than its closest competitor.

What is Vervesemi’s technology and market roadmap over the next 3–5 years?

We intend to maximize the utilization of the extensive analog missed signal IP pool to develop product lines that comprehensively meet the requirements of industrial, automotive, and aviation applications. I will refrain from providing further details at this juncture.

How do you view the current state of India’s semiconductor ecosystem, and where do you see the biggest opportunities?

We are currently witnessing a significant transformation in the Indian semiconductor ecosystem, thanks to the government’s focused and concerted efforts. This market is rapidly evolving, with numerous fabless design companies developing products and many fabrication facilities under construction. In the near future, this market will generate sufficient supply to meet more than 20% of the local consumption, positioning India as one of the key semiconductor suppliers globally.