The $8.5B question: Is India’s CHIP MISSION working? | Insider takes from Mindgrove Technologies CEO

India’s semiconductor revolution is underway, and startups like Mindgrove Technologies are at the heart of it. In this episode of The Best Place to Build, we sit down with Shashwath T R, the CEO & co-founder of Mindgrove Technologies, building high-performance microchips and microprocessors out of the IIT Madras Research Park, to decode how India is accelerating its journey toward a world-class semiconductor ecosystem. From VLSI design and transistor-level innovation to Assembly and Packaging, OAT (Outsource Assembly and Testing), and policy incentives such as the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI), this conversation breaks down the real challenges and massive opportunities for the Indian semiconductor industry. We explore how data is the new oil, why the world is hungry for faster and more energy-efficient microchips, and how AI (Artificial Intelligence) is reshaping chip design and digital transformation. Shashwath also goes behind the scenes on oscilloscopes, debugging silicon, the art of transistor-level problem-solving, and what it truly takes to build a semiconductor start-up in India. Whether you're an electronics engineer, a student, a founder, or someone curious about the Indian Semiconductor Mission, this episode is your front-row seat to the future! What You’ll Learn * How semiconductors power everything from AI to smartphones * Inside the journey of Mindgrove Technologies and building India’s own microprocessor * Why transistor-level design expertise is a superpower in today’s electronics industry * The role of IIT Madras Research Park in India’s deep-tech ecosystem * How DLI, PLI, and India’s semiconductor policies are shaping the ecosystem * Real-world challenges in VLSI, silicon debugging, oscilloscopes, and high-performance chip design * Why now is the best time for entrepreneurship in electronics and semiconductors ------ Chapterisation: 00:45 Welcome to the Best Place to Build podcast 01:23 Introducing Shashwath, CEO of Mindgrove Technologies 02:00 What’s the big deal with semiconductors in India? 05:34 What’s a high-performing microprocessor in the age of AI? 14:27 What are the near-future milestones & government schemes within the semiconductor industry in India? 20:00 How do you convince investors to invest in your semiconductor venture? 24:45 What’s the microchip innovation involved with building CCTVs & biometrics? 26:48 What does an electronics engineer actually do? 37:30 How has AI affected Shashwath’s role? 40:50 What are the skills required to enter the semiconductor industry? 50:00 Shashwath’s personal story/journey in the semiconductor industry 59:30 Can you start up as a non-IITian? 01:03:00 Closing thoughts & reflections ------ Subscribe, and click on the bell icon to never miss an update from the Best Place to Build Podcast! ------ Keywords discussed: Semiconductors, Mindgrove Technologies, Electronics Engineer, IIT Madras Research Park, Semiconductor Startup, Data is the New Oil, Artificial Intelligence, AI, Microprocessor, Microchip, Digital Transformation, High Performance, Design Linked Incentive (DLI), Production Linked Incentive (PLI), OAT, Outsource Assembly and Testing, Assembly and Packaging, VLSI, Very-Large-Scale Integration, Oscilloscopes, Transistor, Electronics Industry India, Entrepreneurship, Indian Semiconductor Industry, Indian Semiconductor Mission, Transistors

Unknown HosthostShashwath T Rguest

Nov 21, 20251h 7mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: November 21, 2025
Duration: 1h 7m
Channel: Best Place To Build
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

India’s semiconductor revolution is underway, and startups like Mindgrove Technologies are at the heart of it. In this episode of The Best Place to Build, we sit down with Shashwath T R, the CEO & co-founder of Mindgrove Technologies, building high-performance microchips and microprocessors out of the IIT Madras Research Park, to decode how India is accelerating its journey toward a world-class semiconductor ecosystem. From VLSI design and transistor-level innovation to Assembly and Packaging, OAT (Outsource Assembly and Testing), and policy incentives such as the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI), this conversation breaks down the real challenges and massive opportunities for the Indian semiconductor industry. We explore how data is the new oil, why the world is hungry for faster and more energy-efficient microchips, and how AI (Artificial Intelligence) is reshaping chip design and digital transformation. Shashwath also goes behind the scenes on oscilloscopes, debugging silicon, the art of transistor-level problem-solving, and what it truly takes to build a semiconductor start-up in India. Whether you're an electronics engineer, a student, a founder, or someone curious about the Indian Semiconductor Mission, this episode is your front-row seat to the future! What You’ll Learn
How semiconductors power everything from AI to smartphones
Inside the journey of Mindgrove Technologies and building India’s own microprocessor
Why transistor-level design expertise is a superpower in today’s electronics industry
The role of IIT Madras Research Park in India’s deep-tech ecosystem
How DLI, PLI, and India’s semiconductor policies are shaping the ecosystem
Real-world challenges in VLSI, silicon debugging, oscilloscopes, and high-performance chip design
Why now is the best time for entrepreneurship in electronics and semiconductors
------ Chapterisation: 00:45 Welcome to the Best Place to Build podcast 01:23 Introducing Shashwath, CEO of Mindgrove Technologies 02:00 What’s the big deal with semiconductors in India? 05:34 What’s a high-performing microprocessor in the age of AI? 14:27 What are the near-future milestones & government schemes within the semiconductor industry in India? 20:00 How do you convince investors to invest in your semiconductor venture? 24:45 What’s the microchip innovation involved with building CCTVs & biometrics? 26:48 What does an electronics engineer actually do? 37:30 How has AI affected Shashwath’s role? 40:50 What are the skills required to enter the semiconductor industry? 50:00 Shashwath’s personal story/journey in the semiconductor industry 59:30 Can you start up as a non-IITian? 01:03:00 Closing thoughts & reflections ------ Subscribe, and click on the bell icon to never miss an update from the Best Place to Build Podcast! ------ Keywords discussed: Semiconductors, Mindgrove Technologies, Electronics Engineer, IIT Madras Research Park, Semiconductor Startup, Data is the New Oil, Artificial Intelligence, AI, Microprocessor, Microchip, Digital Transformation, High Performance, Design Linked Incentive (DLI), Production Linked Incentive (PLI), OAT, Outsource Assembly and Testing, Assembly and Packaging, VLSI, Very-Large-Scale Integration, Oscilloscopes, Transistor, Electronics Industry India, Entrepreneurship, Indian Semiconductor Industry, Indian Semiconductor Mission, Transistors

SPEAKERS

Unknown Host
host
Shashwath T R
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Best Place To Build, featuring Unknown Host and Shashwath T R, The $8.5B question: Is India’s CHIP MISSION working? | Insider takes from Mindgrove Technologies CEO explores inside India’s chip push: Mindgrove’s strategy, products, and realities today Semiconductors are gaining mass attention in India because they underpin modern digital life and AI, and because government focus and media tailwinds have made the sector feel like it is finally “clicking.”

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