BigEndian Raises $6 Mn to Build India-Made AI Vision Chips
BigEndian is also strengthening partnerships in Taiwan to support manufacturing and supply chain integration.
Bengaluru-based BigEndian Semiconductors has raised $6 million in a funding round led by IAN Alpha Fund, as the Indian semiconductor startup looks to accelerate development of secure AI-focused chips designed for edge computing and surveillance applications.
The round also saw participation from Vertex Ventures SEA, IvyCap Ventures and several angel investors.
Founded in 2024, BigEndian develops System-on-Chips (SoCs) for AI Vision workloads that allow devices to process visual data locally instead of relying on cloud infrastructure.
The chips are targeted at applications including smart surveillance, industrial automation, autonomous systems, IoT devices, and connected infrastructure.
The company said the fresh capital will be used to expand chip design operations, grow engineering teams, and fund tapeout cycles — a critical and capital-intensive stage in semiconductor manufacturing.
BigEndian is also strengthening partnerships in Taiwan to support manufacturing and supply chain integration.
The startup is positioning itself to address rising demand for trusted alternatives to imported semiconductor solutions, particularly in surveillance and CCTV infrastructure, where Indian manufacturers are increasingly seeking non-Chinese chip suppliers amid tightening regulations and security concerns.
“This funding validates not just our technology, but our approach to building silicon the hard way: from architecture to tape-out, with a long-term roadmap in mind. India has no shortage of engineering talent or market demand. What we need is conviction capital that understands the cost, risk, and importance of building fabless semiconductor companies,” said Sunil Kumar, BigEndian Semiconductors Co-Founder and CEO.
"We believe India’s opportunity in semiconductors lies not just in design services, but in building globally competitive product companies. BigEndian’s full-stack approach and focus on trusted, indigenous solutions position it well to address a critical and evolving market need,” Rajnish Kapur, IAN Alpha Fund Managing Partner, said.
BigEndian said its “Secure by Design™” approach integrates security directly into chip architecture, addressing growing concerns around cyber threats, data sovereignty, and AI infrastructure security.
