India-based semiconductor startup Netrasemi has raised Rs 107 crore in a Series A round led by Zoho Corporation Ltd and Unicorn India Ventures. The funding will be used to accelerate R&D, scale manufacturing, expand market reach, and bring four advanced Edge-AI SoCs into production.
Founded in 2020 by Jyothis Indirabhai, Sreejith Varma, and Deepa Geetha, Netrasemi develops domain-specific SoCs designed for on-device AI analytics, eliminating the need for cloud processing. The startup’s Edge AI chips target high-growth applications such as video surveillance, industrial robotics, and smart infrastructure.
The company has already completed development of two SoCs, the A2000, a high-performance AI chip for high-resolution video analytics, and R1000, an AI microcontroller for smart IoT sensors. Both chips are currently in the tapeout stage, targeting TSMC’s 12nm process technology.
Over the past year, Netrasemi has initiated the development of a CCTV AI camera chip for the Indian market, established global partnerships for R&D and early sample releases, and secured OEM interest for its platform solutions.
With this fresh capital infusion, Netrasemi aims to:
- Bring four SoC variants with AI and video analytics features into production
- Expand manufacturing and R&D operations
- Target edge computing solutions for smart cities, surveillance, robotics, and retail
- Double its workforce from 83 to 166 chip engineers
“Supporting the growth of a strong deep-tech ecosystem in India is a key focus for Zoho,” said Shailesh Davey, Co-founder & CEO, Zoho Corporation. “Our collaboration with Netrasemi aligns with our efforts in R&D, robotics, AI, and edge processing. We’re excited to help build globally competitive products from India.”
Zoho, which recently opened an R&D center in Kottarakara, Kerala, will collaborate with Netrasemi at this facility. The investment aligns with Zoho’s long-standing commitment to rural development and innovation through localized tech talent.
Anil Joshi, Managing Partner of Unicorn India Ventures, added, “The global edge AI market is undergoing profound transformation. Netrasemi is well-positioned to lead the next wave of specialized energy-efficient semiconductors for real-time AI workloads”.
The startup has previously raised Rs 10 crore in a Pre-Series A round and Rs 8.3 crore in seed funding, both backed by Unicorn India Ventures.
Speaking on the future, Jyothis Indirabhai, Co-founder & CEO of Netrasemi, said:
“Domain-specific optimization is now essential in edge AI. Our IP-rich SoCs deliver cost-effective, power-efficient AI computing. Backing from Zoho and continued support from Unicorn validates our vision.”
He also highlighted the support from institutions such as MeitY, TrEST Research Park, IIM-K, and KSUM, all of which have helped catalyze the company’s growth.Over the next 12–18 months, Netrasemi plans to complete full-mask production of three SoC families and begin R&D on next-gen ultra-high performance SoCs aimed at edge servers and smart NVR systems.
