HrdWyr, a Bengaluru-based fabless semiconductor startup, has raised $13 million in a Series A funding round led by Ideaspring Capital, with participation from Singularity AMC, Avatar Growth Capital, and existing investor Persistent Systems.
The capital will go toward accelerating the development of its AI-native System-on-Chip (AISoC) products and deepening customer engagements across global markets. HrdWyr builds chips purpose-designed for edge computing and what the company calls “Physical AI” — artificial intelligence embedded directly in real-world systems like EVs, industrial equipment, consumer electronics, and data centres.
Founded in 2023 by Ramamurthy Sivakumar (CEO) and Guruswamy Ganesh (COO), the company operates as a full-stack fabless semiconductor business — designing complete chip products rather than licensing IP. The team brings over 250 years of combined semiconductor experience across India, the US, Europe, Israel, and APAC, spanning transitions from 1-micron to near-1nm process nodes.
Unlike conventional chips adapted for AI after the fact, HrdWyr designs its AISoCs from first principles around AI workloads — prioritising low latency, power efficiency, and the ability to process data autonomously at the point of generation. The company’s TEA (True Edge Autonomy) framework combines its semiconductor architecture with an agentic AI stack powered by reinforcement learning.
“The real power of AI will be unlocked as we enter the era of Physical AI, where advanced intelligence seamlessly integrates with real-world systems. This inflection point demands a fundamental rethinking of how computing systems are conceived, architected, and deployed.” — Ramamurthy Sivakumar, Founder and CEO, HrdWyr
The consumer electronics hook is notable: HrdWyr, in August 2025, partnered with audio and wearables brand boAt to launch the Indus 1011 chip — one of the first instances of an Indian-designed chip powering a mainstream Indian consumer product.
Naganand Doraswamy, Managing Partner at Ideaspring Capital, highlighted the strategic fit: the investment aligns with the firm’s thesis of building globally competitive products from India while supporting the country’s push for semiconductor self-reliance.
The macro backdrop is favourable. India’s semiconductor market is estimated at roughly $62 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach $155 billion by 2031, driven by domestic demand, global supply chain diversification, and policy tailwinds. The government has committed over ₹76,000 crore under the India Semiconductor Mission, with 12 projects approved and roughly ₹1.64 lakh crore in planned investment in the pipeline.
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HrdWyr is one of more than 130 active semiconductor startups in India, but its focus on complete AI-native chip products — rather than design services or IP licensing — places it in a narrower, higher-stakes category where execution and customer design wins will define the next phase.
