Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad launches "Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge" to realize the ambition of self-reliance and a momentous stride towards "Atmanirbhar Bharat"

Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, launched today “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutionsfor #Aatmanirbhar Bharat” to provide further impetus to the strong ecosystem of Start-up, innovation and research in the country.

IIT Madras and Center for Development of Advance Computing (CDAC) have developed two microprocessors named SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA (64 bit) respectively using Open Source Architecture under the aegis of Microprocessor Development Programme of Ministry of Electronics and IT. “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar Bharat” seeks to invite innovators, start-ups and students to use these microprocessors to develop various technology products.

As one of the concrete steps towards realizing the ambition of self-reliance and a momentous stride towards “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, this initiative is aimed at not only meeting India’s future requirements of strategic and industrial sectors but also has the potential to mitigate the issues of security, licensing, technology obsolescence and most crucially cutting dependency on imports. The design, development, and fabrication of these state-of-the-art processor variants at foundry in the country and abroad, is the successful step to leapfrog to goal of vibrant ecosystem of Electronic System Design and Manufacturing in the country.

The “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge” is part of the series of proactive, pre-emptive and graded measures taken by Ministry of Electronics and IT to spur the technology led innovation ecosystem in the country and staying at the forefront of digital adoption. Open to students at all levels and start-ups, the Challenge demands contestants to not only tinker with these Swadeshi Processor IPs and facilitate them with innovating the frugal solutions for societal needs but also make available the entire home-grown ecosystem around Swadeshi Processors to develop the complex designs for catering to both global and domestic requirements in near future.

Ministry of Electronics and IT offers a slew of benefits to the contestants and technology resources that include not only the internship opportunities and regular technical guidance from the best VLSI and Electronics System Design Experts in the country but also the business mentorship & funding support, facilitated by Incubation Centres. Financial support to the tune of Rs 4.30 crore (US$ 0.61 million) at various stages of the Challenge for developing the hardware prototype and incubating a start-up is being offered.

The Challenge spread over 10 months, kick-starts with registration process at https://innovate.mygov.in on 18th August 2020 and culminates in June 2021, with an opportunity for 100 Semi-finalists to win total Rs 1.00 crore (US$ 0.14 million) of Award, 25 Finalists to win total Rs 1.00 crore (US$ 0.14 million) of Award and top 10 teams entering the finale, will get the seed fund of total Rs 2.30 crore (US$ 0.33 million) and 12 months incubation support. Above all, participants will get an opportunity to translate their innovations around Swadeshi Processors, showcase them at a higher viewership platform and facilitate them to scale from ideation to marketplace, thereby standing a chance to contribute to the overall mission of #AtmaNirbharta of Government.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.