Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, has formalized a strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, to advance innovation in the fields of VLSI design and embedded semiconductor systems. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the country’s semiconductor ecosystem through support for startups and academic institutions.
In conjunction with the partnership, Renesas inaugurated expanded office facilities in Bengaluru and Noida to accommodate its growing research and development workforce. These developments reflect the company’s long-term commitment to technological advancement and talent development in India.
As part of the collaboration, Renesas and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), a scientific body under MeitY, signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) under the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme. The signed agreements aim to empower domestic startups by providing them with essential tools and resources to accelerate product development. This support is aligned with the Make in India initiative, fostering self-reliant innovation and enhancing local manufacturing capabilities. By strengthening the technical foundation of emerging companies, the collaboration seeks to build a robust ecosystem for indigenous semiconductor and electronics development.
In addition, the agreements focus on deepening industry-academia collaboration. By promoting innovation-driven learning and hands-on skill development, the initiative encourages students to adopt a product-oriented mindset. This approach is intended to cultivate the next generation of engineers and technologists equipped to contribute meaningfully to India’s growing semiconductor and technology sectors.
The announcement was marked by the presence of key dignitaries, including Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology. Malini Narayanamoorthi, India Country Manager and Vice President of MID Engineering at Renesas, participated alongside other senior leadership from partner companies, with Renesas CEO Hidetoshi Shibata joining remotely.
India is a key strategic market for Renesas, which has set an ambitious goal of deriving over 10 percent of its global revenue from India by 2030. The company has recently entered into multiple collaborations, including an OSAT facility in Gujarat with CG Power and Stars Microelectronics, and a research partnership with IIT Hyderabad. Renesas also plans to expand its workforce in India to 1,000 employees by the end of 2025.
Under the newly signed MOUs, Renesas will provide startups with development boards and access to Altium Designer, a leading PCB design platform, to strengthen their engineering capabilities. For academic institutions, Renesas will offer development tools, PCB design training, and access to Altium 365 cloud services to promote experiential learning and encourage the emergence of product-oriented engineers. The C2S programme currently engages with over 250 academic and research institutions across India, as well as approximately 15 startups, laying the groundwork for a robust ecosystem of indigenous semiconductor innovation.
Renesas has consolidated and relocated its operations in Bengaluru and Noida into upgraded, modern office spaces designed to support advanced product development and collaboration. The Bengaluru site is now the company’s largest in India, housing approximately 500 employees, including teams from Renesas, Altium, and Part Analytics. It is equipped with design labs and collaborative spaces aimed at fostering innovation.
The Noida facility brings together engineering and business teams to accelerate the development of high-performance compute solutions, especially in the automotive segment. This site will focus on strengthening capabilities around Renesas’ R-Car system-on-chip platforms and aligns with the company’s global strategy to enhance cross-border engineering integration.
