Azimuth AI specializing in custom silicon products raises funding led by AUM Ventures

Azimuth AI, an AI startup specializing in custom silicon products, has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding from AUM Ventures, a venture capital firm based in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) with a focus on Indian startups. 

The funding is aimed at the development of Azimuth AI's inaugural system on chip (SoC) designed for a leading global original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that is at the forefront of smart city solutions.

The SoC, which is currently in the development phase, promises to deliver unparalleled performance, feature enhancements, and efficiency improvements over existing market offerings.

Creating cutting-edge SoCs

Founded in 2022 by Praveen Yasarapu and Sridevi Badiga, Azimuth AI is on a mission to create cutting-edge SoCs that champion environmental sustainability while ensuring affordable access to computing solutions, especially in cost-sensitive markets. 

The startup aims to develop purpose-built SoCs for various applications, including smart cities, electric vehicles (EVs), two—and three-wheeler vehicles, and other edge computing applications.

"Our mission is to develop cutting-edge SoCs that not only champion environmental sustainability but also facilitate affordable access to computing solutions in cost-challenged markets, with a focus on embedded computing silicon products," said Yasarapu.

Delivered over 30 silicon products 

Azimuth AI claims to have designed and delivered over 30 silicon products to the market, collaborating with leading semiconductor companies in Silicon Valley. 

The startup team, which has a collective experience of 100 years in building technology products, operates out of California, USA, and Hyderabad, India, demonstrating a global footprint in its operations.

Strategic support from AUM Ventures

AUM Ventures, which launched its maiden VC fund for Indian startups in 2022, aims to bring its Indian portfolio companies to the UAE and assist them in establishing their regional bases at ADGM. This strategic investment in Azimuth AI underscores AUM Ventures' commitment to nurturing innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of diverse markets and applications.

Chetan Mehta, founding partner of AUM Ventures, remarked, "The Semiconductor industry is poised to grow rapidly in India over the next decade, and custom silicon chips represent an innovative paradigm for creating specialized solutions."

Bolstering India's semiconductor ecosystem

The investment in Azimuth AI comes at a time when the Indian semiconductor ecosystem is experiencing notable growth, supported by governmental initiatives aimed at promoting fabless chip manufacturing startups, semiconductor design companies, and packaging firms.

The Union Cabinet's recent approval for the country's first semiconductor fab, to be established by the Tata Group in partnership with Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC), further highlights the burgeoning interest and investment in this sector.